Fruit exports from Brazil are set to decline again during 2012, following the annual downward trend since 2009, according to the Brazilian Fruit Institute (Ibraf) and reported by Ruralbr.com.
At best, exports are estimated to remain on a par with last year’s results, which saw a 10.29 per cent decline in volume to 681,200 tonnes.
The full-year outlook comes in spite of an 8.84 per cent upturn in exports between January and February to 96,300 tonnes, worth some US$68.2m, an increase of 1.1 per cent on the year-earlier period.
However, Ibraf’s agronomic specialist, Clovis Ribeiro, said the outlook for 2012 is not looking good.
“Certain factors are diminishing our competitiveness on the international market so we must work at previous years’ levels, between 600,000 and 700,000 tonnes,” he pointed out.
In an attempt to reduce Brazil’s dependency on Europe, which receives around 80 per cent of Brazilian fruit exports, Ribeiro said Brazil is negotiating entry to new markets.
Meanwhile, the internal market remains another outlet for Brazilian suppliers since demand remains strong.
“One of the factors helping Brazilian fruit is the increase in the internal market, which has good prices,” Ribeiro explained.
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