Shipments of pineapples and derivatives from Minas Gerais, Brazil, grew by 724% between January and October 2012. Peaches and grapes also had surprising results for the State.
In 2012 Minas Gerais' exports towards Europe of pineapples, peaches and grapes showed surprising progress considering last year's figures, although the overall income from all Minas Gerais' shipments of fruit and derivatives, with Europe as main destination, was very small compared to that of coffee.
According to a study conducted by Central Exporta Minas, a body under the Secretary for Economic Development, pineapples and its derivatives topped the exports ranking between January and October 2012, with a 724.5% growth in sales income, which amounted to US$ 123,300. Peach shipments increased by 231.8%, making US$ 3,900, and grapes reached US$ 5,800; a 178.8% increase. Lemons and mangoes, which used to be the most popular, suffered a setback in 2012.
Regarding general results of all fruits and derivatives, the State of Minas Gerais made a total of US$ 2,973 million; a 51.8% drop compared to the same period last year. Within this context of bad results due to the economic crisis in Europe and the United States, the director of Central Exporta Minas, Ivan Barbosa Neto, affirms that fruit growing has taken the market by storm in the last few years as a result of investments in production and shipping, which need plenty of technology, mainly when dealing with fresh fruit.
