83
With a production of 4.3million tons, fruit farming is one of the
activities that creates the most jobs and income, and promotes
the development of some regions inBahia, especially in the irrigat-
ed areas in the Semiarid. Because of its high multiplying effect, it
drives the various economic sectors throughout the region.
Bahia is home toabigdiversity of fruit in its fruitmatrix, ranking
as one of thebiggest producers in theCountry. Leading global pro-
ducer of
guaraná
and
graviola
, and second biggest producer of cit-
rus, the State is the national leader in the production of bananas,
papayas, coconut, mangoes, cacao and passion fruit, and is equal-
ly a relevant producer of pineapples.
Vale do São Francisco is the most important fruit hub in Bra-
zil, where the highlights aremangoes and grapes. The region is the
Bahia
is a reference
in the production of fruit
TheStateisthenationalleader
intheproductionofbananas,
papayas,coconut,mangoes,
cacaoandpassionfruit
only one in the world capable of producing five grape crops in two
years, due to its natural characteristics, like luminosity, humidi-
ty and availability of water. Its grape varieties are appropriate for
the production of qualitywines, and has become the secondwine-
making center in Brazil, with a great potential for growth.
Another opportunity for investments is in the coconut supply
chain, whose production reaches 586.9 million fruit, turning the
State into thebiggest national producer.With theRevitalizationPlan
for Modernizing the Coconut Supply Chain, the forecast is for the
State to reach a production of 1 billion fruit a year, by 2023. Current-
ly, 220million fruit areprocessedby theagroindustrial plants, ayear.
Besides the excellent climate and soil conditions, the diversi-
ty of agricultural production, which provides for quality rawmate-
rial on a regular basis, Bahia is also a national reference in phyto-
sanitary surveillance. The State is free of several pests that affect
fruit farming, like Black Sigatoka and Moko, pests that attack ba-
nanaplants, HLBand citrus canker in citrus trees, cocoaMoniliasis,
carambola fruit fly (mangoes, guavas, Barbados cherry) and Lethal
Yellowing of Coconut.
