Brazil's 2012 apple season off to a good start as growers notice signs of higher quality harvest following ideal weather; production of fuji variety expected to increase, gala output to fall
Jasmine Durate
LOS ANGELES
,
December 27, 2011
(Industry Intelligence)
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Brazil’s apple season starts in February and growers are already starting to notice signs of a higher quality harvest following a run of ideal weather, reported Fresh Fruit Portal on Dec. 26.
The weather has been perfect for the health of the fruit, and that is reflected in the quality of the apples, which are smooth and without the presence of russetting or scabs. Hailstorms were fairly isolated and covered much less area than what was reported in 2011.
In Brazil there are two varieties of apples: galas and fujis. The country expects a fall in production of gala apples and an increase in fujis.
Fuji volumes will pick up due to the alternate bearing year, while galas were affected as the cold spring hampered the work of bees during the period of leaf and flower growth in the orchards.
The eternal challenge is trying to increase per capita apple consumption in Brazil and meet the export market with an overvalued exchange rate.
The exchange rate is an issue; competition was rough and exports declined by more than 45%.
The Netherlands is Brazil’s largest apple export market with 31%, followed by Bangladesh (13%), Spain (9%), Portugal (9%), Ireland (8%), Germany (6%), the U.K. (5%), Finland (4%), Denmark (3%) and Italy (2%).
The primary source of the article is Fresh Fruit Portal, Santiago, Chile on Dec. 26, 2011.
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