Alarming
drop
n
n
n
Consumptionofvegetablesdroppedconsiderablyduetothe
difficulteconomiccrisistheCountry isgoingthrough,but the
sectorhopes foragradual recoveryof thesector,asof2017
Thephysicaloperationsat theCeasas
weredown3.32%in2016
T
he Brazilian dinner tables were
less abundant and less healthy
in recent years. According to
specialists, the consumption of
vegetables is synonymous with
food rich in carbohydrates, lipids, proteins,
mineral salts, vitamins and fibers, and is
greatly beneficial to health, prevents and
wards off several diseases (cardiovascu-
lar, cancer, diabetes, obesity, blood pres-
sure). However, over the past years, there
has been a decrease in the consumption of
these products, which had an impact upon
consumers and producers.
The amount of horticultural products
(including vegetables and fruit) traded in
the Country’s Distribution Centers (Ceasas),
in 2016, were down 3.32% from the previ-
ous year, when there was equally a drop,
according to the Bulletin of the Brazilian
Horticultural Modernization Program (Pro-
hort), published by the National Food Sup-
ply Agency (Conab), in early 2017. The re-
gions with the biggest reductions were the
North (11.9%), Northeast (5.1%) and South-
east (4.9%), with the exception of the Cen-
ter-West and South, where consumption
rose 5.5%and 2%, respectively.
These data did not yet present the
consolidation of the numbers of the
units, but were providing information
on the main wholesale markets. While
the general volume went down, remain-
ing at 14.2 million tons, the value derived
from the sales at the distribution centers,
where the biggest portion of these prod-
ucts consumed throughout the Country
circulate, was up 14.62%, reaching R$
33.3 billion (R$ 20.8 billion in the South-
east). With tighter supply, the natural law
of the market pushed prices up.
On the other hand, a survey conducted
by Embrapa Vegetables attests to a shrink-
ing availability of these products per capi-
ta, since 2011, suggesting seemingly lower
levels of vegetable consumption. That year,
the amount ascertained reached 100.8 ki-
lograms/person/year, in 2015 it had dimin-
ished to 87.4 kg/person/year. A monthly
follow-up of five vegetables (lettuce, pota-
to, onion, carrot and tomato) at the Ceasas,
Prohort officials ascertained shrinking sales
all over 2016, compared to the previous
year, with a reaction occurring at the end of
the year, and at the beginning of 2017.
The BrazilianHorticulture Institute (Ibra-
hort) is paying heed to the drop in con-
sumption, in light of the repercussion in the
productive sector and in the intention to en-
courage demand. In the evaluation of presi-
dent Edson Takeshi Matsusako and of coun-
selor José Daniel Ribeiro, as it is a matter
related to the national economic crisis, it is
expected for it to be surmounted gradually,
in parallel with the resumption of the busi-
nesses throughout the Country”.
17
Inor Ag. Assmann
O MERCADO DOMÉSTICO
Comercializaçãode hortigranjeiros nas Ceasas
(2016, comvariação sobre 2015)
Disponibilidade da produçãode hortaliças
(Emquilo/habitante/ano)
Kg
%
R$
%
14.262.937.548
- 3,32
33.333.429.740,67
14,62
Fonte:
BoletimHortigranjeiros/Prohort/Conab – Março 2017.
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
100,8
94,5
93,6
92,6
87,4
Fonte:
IBGE/Embrapa Hortaliças.
DOMESTIC MARKET
