The Brazilian limes high season to Europe is coming with increasing orders and higher prices says Sérgio Negrão, CEO and one of the founders of Jagrao. “On limes things change fast, Europe's high season is coming, the orders are increasing, and the prices are too. Brazil has limes all year round and is ready to take the orders, but needs more financial assurance. A lot of importers and exporters that are not in the business of limes end up hurting the market without wanting to.”
He says from spring to the end of summer in Europe is positive for the Brazilian limes. “Our company is aligned with good importers. We hope to maintain an average shipment of eight containers per week until the end of the European summer while during the low season we send two to three containers per week. About 80% of our volume is sent to Europe, Turkey and the UK, with the rest sent to the Middle East.”
Negrão explains the reason why he says the limes market can change suddenly. “One of the challenges is decreasing the costs that affect the whole chain, mostly the producer and the final consumer. Another one is trying to stabilize the limes price on a fair value. In October 2022 I've been to Spain and the prices hit €16.00 per box of 4.5 kg and in February 2023 I've been to Hamburg and Barendrecht, and we saw the same box been sold for €1. Worse than that was seeing a lot of food going to waste, due to the lack of sales and consumption, it was heart breaking.”
He started to work with limes 12 years ago, remaining as passionate about this product as when he started. “I started working with limes, an incredible fruit, which is refreshing and with thousands of other qualities. Its consumption is extremely high in Brazil, Mexico, and the United States. In Europe its consumption has only been increasing, especially the Brazilian limes, which have been preferred due to their high amount of juice.”
Jagrao provides technical assistance and financing to lime producers who have the needed Global Gap and other international certifications. They work with four pack houses in the interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. They mostly pack under the Jagrao lime brand called Louise Fruit and Green Vault. “We are from Jagrao and we are passionate about fruit. Fruit is life, fruit is health, and fruits are a superfood. One of the most delicious things in life is picking fruit from the tree and eating it; trying to pass this on to the final consumer has always been our biggest dream,” concludes Negrão.
