The Brazilian sector of fruits was delighted this week’s informal gathering the way of a barbeque hosted by the president of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, Vice President and the important ministers. The event was reported by Luiz Roberto Barcelos Abrafrutas director is known to be Brazil’s “Melon King’ “Last Tuesday we were met by the President Lula Da Silva for a discussion about our concerns and the steps needed to boost the exports of our company. The fresh fruit industry were the first industry to have a meeting with President Lula Da Silva. It was the idea to offer the president four to five problems that he could solve right away.”

Photo Abrafrutas The makers as well as Brazilians who are members of Abrafrutas alongside the president of Brazil, Lula Da Silva.

Brazil’s industry body for fresh fruits and vegetables Abrafrutas said that the global trade of fresh fruits from Brazil has been growing, at record levels, with exports in the amount of $1.26 billion. “It has been the very first time that we’ve hit this amount. Each year we’re expanding our exports. We have highlighted the opening of new markets and new fruits being offered for sale. We are supported by the Government as well as Abrafrutas.”

“The initial issue we submitted to President Obama is ePhyto and we aren’t able to access. Physical paperwork requires a long time. When vessels arrive within Europe after which the containers documents disappear. Additionally, the travel of Asia towards Brazil’s North of Brazil pose a phytosanitary threat that we must not permit products to be brought into Brazil. The biologicals were discussed and the biologicals. We would also like the law concerning taxes to be modified in order to lower the cost for the average person. We would like seasonal workers to stay in the social insurance program regardless of when they’re temporarily employed. There are issues that the Federal government has the ability to solve. and President Obama has promised to solve this issue,” explains Roberto Barcelos.

He states that Brazil exports just a little of the fresh fruits and vegetables the country grows. “Brazil is the third largest fresh produce producer, after China and India and has less than 3 percent going to exports. It is well-known that we can export. But the challenge is to develop an attitude of export. Only a handful of companies which look out to the foreign market. The potential is enormous to increase the amount. There is fruit to be had but the challenge is to instill the desire for export.”

Roberto Barcelos says they need for a free trade agreement that binds Mercusor with the EU, “where our fruit has to pay 10% duty. Other South American competitor countries have zero tariffs while our grapes are subject to 14% duty and for Peru the rate is zero. Melons in our region are subject to an 8% tariff while the other melons that originate from Central America have much lower prices. This is why we are requesting a free trade deal. If we are talking about fresh fruit, there are numerous local farmers. The country is located located in the Southern Hemisphere and provide counter seasonal fruits for those in the North,” he states.

The former president of Abrafrutas who is now serving as its Institutional Director, who is responsible for coordinating relationships with government officials and politicians in Brazil’s capital city. Recent heavy rains across Brazil and especially within the North east Brazil isn’t a high-risk area for grapes and melon as well as mangoes because this isn’t the peak season for these fruits according to Roberto Barcelos. “We are experiencing more rainfall than was forecasted in a period that was El Nino where they said there would be no rain. However, we are getting a lot rain. Rain can cause some harm to melons and mangos but not other fruits.”

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Luiz Roberto Barcelos

Abrafrutas

Tel: +55 85 9199-9415

www.abrafrutas.org