This season, Brazil’s apple production has been smaller because of the impact of El Niño, although the crisis in the country has caused a drop in demand, which has led to increased prices that have offset this reduction.
"We are currently growing 36,000 ha of apples in Brazil," explains Roberto Hauagge, of Clone Viveiros. "The Fuji and some Gala mutations represent about 90% of the country’s total apple production, which is concentrated in the regions of São Joaquim, Vacaria and Fraiburgo, Caxias do Sul and Palmas." The harvest period in these main producing regions starts in February with the Gala and comes to a close in late March with the Fuji. Warmer producing areas of Paraná and São Paulo, will start picking apples as early as the end of November with the low chill cultivar Eva, the only Brazilian cultivar widely grown in Brazil. So there is a small gap in the market between the apples stored from the previous season and the arrival of the new ones. "After 10 or 11 months, those in storage no longer taste as good, so everyone has that gap until the new production starts," explains Hauagge.
Brazil's exports can vary considerably from season to season, depending on the value of the currency and the market itself. Its largest market is Europe. "Four or five years ago, we exported more, especially Gala and Fuji, which have a very good taste, when compared with the European production," affirms the growers, "but sometimes over the last three or four years prices have not been as competitive because of the devaluation of the currency." He ads that, at the moment, the currency situation is again positive for the exporters, and as a result, new varieties and strategies are being developed in order to give exports a boost, even though in the sector it is essential to think long term.
As regards the domestic demand, Brazil does not cultivate Red Delicious, so, according to the producer, the country imports Red Delicious and Granny Smith from Chile and Argentina, some Galas from France, although these shipments have been gradually growing smaller. "I think last year the total volume reached just 60,000 tonnes, and Brazil is likely to export between 60,000 and 70,000 tonnes, so we export as much as we import. As a whole, we produce more than 1.2 million tonnes per year," he estimates.
The country has suffered heavy rains this year because of El Niño, especially in the regions where it rains often and abundantly. "The pollination has somehow been affected because of the rain, together with a spring frost which has caused a 10% drop in the production," he laments. However, he adds that because of the financial crisis in the country, demand has decreased and a balance has been reached between consumption and production, thus allowing prices to increase to offset the low production.
Besides the production of fruit and trees, the company Clone Viveiros is active in the breeding of cultivars of deciduous fruit species with low chill adapted to the South of Brazil. "30 years ago, we realised that there was a need for good quality fruit trees, especially apple trees, so we started with that. Earlier, I had worked on the production and development of apple varieties for this environment," states the breeder. “The Gala and Fuji have problems adapting to most areas in this country, as is the also the case in South Africa. Besides insufficient chilling accumulation in the winter, in our case heavy rains affect diseases control and fruit quality’. And explain further…” This is an important moment for our company. After so many years of apple breeding, we are in the process of releasing an array of apple cultivars, which are highly productive, show excellent fruit quality, long storage period, which is comparable to the best traditional apple cultivars. And they perform this in environments which accumulate less than 550 chill units”. Glamour apple, the earliest one in this series, is the first one on this list.
The company is located in the South of the country, a safe phytosanitary distance from the main apple production regions, according to the producer.
