Productionof
vegetable
seedinBrazilgets
modernizedtokeeppacewithrisingdemandforfoodofalltypes
B
razil is a continental country
where there is demand for vege-
tables throughout all the seasons
of the year. This need, which re-
quires the availability of cultivars
for every different environment and time of
year, mobilizes the supply chain in pursuit of
highquality seed. Over thepast years, agreat
change in the sector of vegetable seed con-
sists in the conversion of open pollination
cultivars, with a low market value, into hy-
brid cultivars – which usually make it possi-
ble for the farmers to achieve higher produc-
tivityanduniformity,besidessuperiorquality
products for the consumers.
According to agronomic engineer War-
ley Marcos Nascimento, chief-executive at
Embrapa Vegetables, people are in search of
novelties with regard to practicality and con-
venience. “That is why, it is worth stressing
the use of biotechnology tools in the genet-
ic enhancement programs, as well as more
modern technology in seed treatment, like
chemical molecules for the control of micro-
organisms, seed coverage and conditioning”,
hementions. The researcher emphasizes that
advances inknowledge relative to seedphysi-
ologyhavealsobeenimportantforthesector.
Nowadays, around 30 companies are en-
gaged in the production of seeds in Brazil, in-
cluding domestic, multinational and trans-
national groups. The three main production
hubs are located in the South region (on-
ion in Santa Catarina and other species in Rio
Grande do Sul), North of Minas Gerais and
Vale do São Francisco (Pernambuco and Ba-
hia).“TheSouth,wheretemperaturesarelow-
er, allows for the production of seeds of spe-
cies that need cold weather to blossom, and
the other two regions, with dry weather con-
ditions, provide for the development of high-
erqualityseeds”,heexplains.
According to Nascimento, one of the big-
gest challenges of the supply chain at the
moment is the intention to expand exports,
seeing that Brazil is still viewed as a great im-
porter of this input. In 2016, The Country ex-
ported 1.7 million kilograms of several vege-
table seeds, whilst imports amounted to11.7
million kilograms, according to the Brazilian
Vegetables Yearbook. The less developedna-
tions in Latin America, Africa and Asia stand
as possible buyers. Amid othermeasures ad-
vocated by the researcher, quality control
comes first, followed by phytosanitary con-
cerns that could affect the seeds that travel
from one country to the next, relying on an
international platform that facilitates the re-
exportation of seeds. “It is an essential activi-
ty in the seed trade”, he states.
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