Brazil is harvesting one of the best
applecrops,ofexcellentquality,thereflectionofa
growingseasonofgreatlyfavorableclimateconditions
R
ight at the beginning of the
harvesting season in Janu-
ary 2017, of the main Gala
variety, Brazilian apples
proved to be appealing
and extremely attractive. Pierre Nicolas
Pérès, president of the Brazilian Associ-
ation of Apple Producers (ABPM), made
no secret of declaring that it was “one
of the most extraordinary crops in terms
of quality”. A fact that was equally con-
firmed by the Fuji variety, harvested as of
March. Both account for about 95%of the
total national production.
This assertion was based on the fact
that “the 2016/17 growing season re-
warded the main producing regions in
Brazil with climate conditions extreme-
ly favorable for the cultivation of the
fruit”. In Brazil, apples are produced in
the South, in cold and highland areas, lo-
cated in the hubs of the following munic-
ipalities: São Joaquim and Fraiburgo, in
the State of Santa Catarina; Vacaria and
Caxias do Sul, in Rio Grande do Sul, be-
sides Lapa and Palmas, in South Paraná.
“Situations like a cold winter and
rather dry springtime in 2016, besides
low incidence of hailstorms, said the
president of the association “are con-
centrating the crop in large fruit, of ex-
cellent physical and sanitary quality,
crispy, juicy, aromatic and very delicious
because of the sugar-acidity balance”.
The volume also improved after a sea-
son of unfavorable weather conditions,
and returned to the levels of two years
ago, which, according to Pierre, will
make it possible to meet Brazilian de-
Large, beautiful anddelicious apples
were picked in the 2016/17 growing season
mand and ship surpluses abroad.
The qualitative question deserves to
be highlighted in this year’s crop. Phyto-
technician José Luiz Petri, from the Agri-
cultural Experiment Station in Caçador,
run by the Santa Catarina State Rural Ex-
tension and Agricultural Research Com-
pany (Epagri), which has been operating
since the beginning of the successful re-
search on Brazilian apples, four decades
ago, observes that apples in 2017 are oc-
cupying the top position in this period.
Physiologist Luiz Carlos Argenta, spe-
cialist in post-harvest procedures in the
same unit, who analyzes directly this top-
ic, in turn, confirms the superior quality
of the current crop.
Within the most perceptible concept in
judging this itemof the fruit, the research-
er is of the opinion that the current apple
cropdeserves a very highevaluation, if not
the highest. “The size is good, as well as
the color, besides the absence of external
defects (like “russeting”), characterizing a
fruit of excellent quality”, comments Ar-
Extra!
Extra!
genta. On the other hand, he warns about
the conservation requirements, especially
with regard to the larger fruit, while mak-
ing up for it, the harvest that in general oc-
curred at the right maturation time comes
in favor of this particular topic.
In short, the specialist has it that “sev-
eral traits point to the good quality of the
fruit in 2017, equally allowing for com-
mercializing the fruit at specific periods”.
In parallel with the many positive factors,
he insists on the need for the supply chain
to double its efforts throughout the year
in light of “the great concern always pres-
ent in the sector of investing in technology
and personnel to achieve this goal”.
12
Quadrodamaçãbrasileira
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Pictureof Brazilianapples
Fonte:
IBGE/LSPAMarço2017 —*Previsão.
Anos
Produção (t)
Área colhida (ha)
Produtividade (kg/ha)
2015
1.264.651
35.842
35.284
2016
1.064.708
34.399
30.952
2017*
1.247.088
33.822
38.872
Fonte:
IBGE/LSPAMarço2017 —*Previsão.
Estadoscommaiorprodução
LARGESTPRODUCINGSTATES
(EmT e%do total, 2017*)
T
%
Região Sul
1.238.169 99,3
Santa Catarina
646.349 51,8
RioGrande do Sul
547.120 43,9
Paraná
44.700 3,6
