Marcio Milan Abras

Brazilian Supermarket Association (ABRAS) has become the latest group to sign up to GlobalGAP.

With 27 affiliated supermarket associations, ABRAS’s membership accounts for around 5 per cent of Brazil’s GDP and employs more than 1.8m people.

“We joined GlobalGAP because we strive to foster and support the development of food safety for our perishable food chain, especially fruits and vegetables,” said Márcio Milan, the head of the association.

ABRAS has been actively involved in the Brazilian fruit and vegetable supply chain since 2006, encouraging dialogue between producers, distributors, supermarkets and the government in order to develop sustainable agricultural practices and improve food safety. In 2012 it launched its traceability and food-monitoring programme, RAMA.

In February 2019, Milan met with Flavio Alzueta of GlobalGAP to formulate a working plan for Brazil.