Senar promotes seminar on the use of bioinputs in fruit growing

The National Rural Learning Service (Senar) promoted, on Thursday (01/12), the seminar “Use of Bioinputs in Fruit Culture”, with the participation of rural producers and specialists who addressed the uses, market trends and the presence of bioinputs in Brazilian fruit exports.

In the first panel, Joseilton Faria, from Biomulti Agricultura Sustentável, a company specialized in the production of microorganisms "on farm", spoke about trends in the bioinputs market in Brazil and around the world.

“The estimate for the next five years is that consumption will grow between 75% and 100%, going from five billion in 2020 to 11 billion tons. Currently, the greatest use is in soybean, sugarcane and corn crops, but in fruit growing we have applications in banana, atemoya, avocado, grapes, mango and citrus”, he said.

Faria explained that in banana farming, for example, nematodes cause various damages such as root injuries, loss of water and nutrient absorption, delay in flower bud emission, poor bunch formation, fewer bunches and lower yield per area.

“Expenses on nematode control in the world reach US$ 200 billion and in Brazil US$ 65 billion. That’s why it’s very important to control this pest,” he said. “The costs of managing nematodes with chemicals reach R$100/hectare, whereas with on-farm biologicals (bacillus spp.) the value drops to R$56/hectare, a reduction of R$44 per hectare.”

Maria Iderlane, from EducarAgro, a group focused on promoting the use of bio-inputs among rural producers, stated that these products should be increasingly encouraged and in the case of fruit growing, the use has expanded, “despite being little widespread.”

According to her, the lack of effective pest and disease control restricts the export of fresh tropical fruits, but there is potential to be explored in this market, in addition to the expansion of national fruit consumption, which is currently only 67,6 g. per capita/day, while the World Health Organization recommends 200-250g per capita/day.

“We need production volume, quality and commercial flow. To achieve this, it is necessary to align the development of new technologies and invest in research so that the product reaches our customers with quality. Everything has to be well tied together so that this chain generates a quality product.”

Rural producer and CEO of the company Biotrop, Antônio Carlos Zem, also highlighted the challenges for production and changing consumer behavior in Brazil and around the world. "Fruit farming needs organic products. They are efficient, effective and bring profitability."

Zem believes that certifications are passports for export in demanding markets, in addition to good practices bringing food safety, environmental protection, worker well-being and product traceability.

“Brazil can also be a leader in organic fruit growing, conquer markets and gain competitiveness by increasing the shelf life of fruits so that they reach their final destination with quality. We have everything to make our fruit production recognized worldwide.”

In the assessment of Embrapa Semiárido researcher Carlos Gava, some factors boosted the use of bio-inputs in Brazil, such as regulatory pressure for waste management that favors the approval of safer products and the change in European Union legislation.

He also cited some Embrapa work that has already been passed on for use by rural producers: Integrated Disease Management for fruit rot; control of soil pests and soil pathogens. Gava emphasizes that Brazil has a biodiversity of plants and animals, which favors the selection of macro and microorganisms for the bioinputs market.

"We have a very large potential to develop new biological control products because our biodiversity is immense. The market demands this, people are increasingly concerned about food safety, harmlessness and quality. To achieve this, it is necessary to educate the user of technology to adapt the entire production system”.

Senar's technical advisor, Caio Vasconcelos, led the debate and noted that the CNA/Senar System develops several actions to provide producers with more options and alternatives that “aim at the development of increasingly efficient productive activity, concerned with the environment and focused on sustainability.”