Proceedings 32Nd Meeting

Proceedings 32nd Meeting

25. - 27.03.2019, Bonn, Germany

Production of table grapes in Brazil

Mônica Ishikawa, AMV — Serviços e Consultoria Ltda / ABRAFRUTAS

Federal Office for Agriculture and Food Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung (BLE)

President: Dr. Hanns-Christoph Eiden

Deichmanns Aue 29 53179 Bonn, Germany

Telephone: ++49 (0)228 6845 - 0 Fax: ++49 (0)30 1810 6845 - 3444 E-mail: [email protected]

Editing Dr. Ulrike Bickelmann, BLE Telephone: ++49 (0)228 6845 - 3357 E-mail: [email protected]

Date of issue

November 2019

Production of Table Grapes in Brazil Mônica Ishikawa, AMV – SERVIÇOS E CONSULTORIA LTDA Brazil is the number 3 of world fruit producers indicator. The irrigation water used on the and number 16 of fruit exporters. The fields is provided mainly by the San Francisco fruticulture covers 2.5 million hectars in Brazil River. Heavy irrigation investments have and provides 5 million of employments. The been developed by the government. Due to gross value of fruit production in 2017 is 33.3 the quality of the water, there is no danger of billion US $. The main destination of Brazilian causing the salinity of the soil. fruits is the market of the European Union (67 % by volume). However, the percentage The annual average temperature of 30 °C and of exported fruits it only 2.5 % and the rest is the relative humidity of about 40 %, alongside destined for the domestic market. with the high luminosity enable, technically, the fruit production throughout the year, In 2016, table grapes were ranking number offering all times, healthy products and with 10 by global production volume. However, in low uses of pesticides. The San Francisco Valley Brazil it was number 4 of the fruit exported in has around 300 days of sun, during the year 2017. and it is the only place in the world where it is possible to pick between two and four crops The San Francisco valley is the largest pole in in two years. Thus, farmers can define the the fruticulture of Brazil. It is situated in the schedule of production according to sales or northeast of Brazil. It generates 240,000 direct demands. employments, 440 million US $ in exports of grapes and mangoes, i.e. 98 % of table grapes and 90 % of mangoes exported by Brazil. Comparison between Brazil and US with res- The San Francisco River, with its 2,700 km of pect to table grape production extension and an average flow of 3,150 3m /s, Factors for Northeast of California is the source that makes possible projects of competition Brazil (USA) sustainable development for an area of 640,000 Insolation, i.e. 3,000 2,200 2 km , creating jobs and products with quality to hours or sun be consumed all over the world. light per year Advantages Labour costs, 0.75 US$ 5.0 - 10.0 US$ working hour In Europe, Brazilian table grapes yield a cost very good price as they are marketed from Price of irriga- 12,000 - 25,000 37,500 US$/ October to December and April to May when ted land US$/ha ha competition of other producing areas is low. Cost of implan- 25,000 US$ 50,000 US$ However, this “window” is becoming smaller. tation, irrigated hectare The main production is harvested from early October to December and from April to Productivity of up to 2.5 1 May. The climate is hot and dry with annual the land, har- rainfall being no more than 610 mm per year vest per year (concentrated in 4 months from December to Export markets EUA, Europe, Mainly inter- March). Most rainfall (rainy season) is seen in Japan, internal nal market March and dry periods in June, July, August, market (USA) September and October. The average potential annual evapotranspiration, by Hargreaves, to Petrolina is 2,090 mm, the hydric deficit is Disadvantages 1,689 mm/year. The average evaporation of the atmosphere varies between 80 to 220 mm/ Brazil has no autumn and winter and thus not month. The irrigation water supply should, enough repose of the vineyards. In case of two therefore, correct for seasonal changes in the or more crops a year, no winter dormancy is potential evapotranspiration. The rational expressed. On the other hand, drought stress use of the water supplied as a performance

© BLE 2 Production of Table Grape in Brazil results in an impressive built-up of both are ready for harvesting, in the other the stage anthocyanins (phenolic compounds allowing is pruning. Right next to it, the grapes are still for the creation of pigments) and sugars. This starting to appear and in another side they are phenomenon explaining the deep colour and in repose. respectable alcohol levels of Brazilian red wines. Brazilian producers have trouble with bud fertility of vineyards and they lack qualified workforce. Roads in Brazil aren’t suitable for the transportation of fruits. There is a lack of security as well as a lack of registered products for rotational pest treatment. Anyway, Brazilian producers have to pay high taxes.

Problems dealt with by grape growers Vineyards at different stages of development Even though grape growers, who practice organic production, use similar This is not a miracle of multiplication. It is a practices for pest management, each one miracle of irrigation. By controlling the water, applies programs specific for the area and the whole life cycle of the grape is controlled. vineyards. Some of the more common Next to the vineyards the farm is placed with problems dealt with by grape growers include fertilizer warehouse, spray preparation station, the insect pests: mites, mealybugs, thrips. packing house, warehouse, office, internet Diseases commonly occur throughout the station, water treatment station, workshop and production areas in order of importance: weather station. Downy mildew caused by Plasmopara The production process consists of irrigation, viticola, Powdery mildew (Oidium sp) caused spraying, fertilizing and cultivation. The applied by Uncinula necator, wood canker diseases technologies are weather station, tensiometry, (Lasiodiplodia theobromae), botrytis bunch rot soil humidity monitoring, and frequency caused by Botrytis cinerea, and other minor inverters in irrigation pumps. Challenges are fungal diseases. Control measures for the major soil stage irrigation, detection of water stress diseases will be present and include cultural as by image as well as the low consumption well as chemical methods of control. of irrigation systems. Finally, operational discipline, i.e. everyone making the best all the How to produce three crops in two years? time.

The region has characteristics to grow Phenological stages of Seedless Grape in the grapevine with two harvests a year, because of San Francisco Valley the warm temperatures that prevail throughout the year. The main climatic elements that The life cycle of a crop starts at day one with interfere with table grape cultivation are pruning. Bud swell is 8 to 12 days after pruning. solar radiation (average monthly sun hours Shoots appear 12 to 16 days after pruning; 220 to 270), temperature (average monthly followed by blooming (flowering to full bloom) temperatures 24.3 to 29.8 °C), relative humidity 28 to 35 days after pruning. Fruit set is 35 to 70 (average humidity 50 to 70 %), precipitation days after pruning and trimming 45 to 55 days and wind speed (average wind speed 9.1 to 15.3 after pruning. Veraison is 70 to 90 days after mph). These factors influence the growth and pruning; ripening to harvest 80 to 120 days development of the plant, the occurrence of after pruning. Each phase of the cycle could pests and diseases, its water requirements, the take between 5 to 10 days, depending on the productivity and quality of the grapes. weather conditions. The repose will depend on the schedule of pruning. For export, it will With respect to production fields, the grapes are normally be 80 days after the harvest. divided into large areas. While in one part they

Grape availability in Peru

Grape availability in California, USA

Fruit availability in Brazil

There are four Brazilian ports for export from Main certification and requirements for the EU Petrolina, i.e. from the South to the North: are: Salvador (distance to Petrolina 517 km), Suape • Global G.A.P. with Add on. (714 km), Natal (971 km) and Pecem (875 km). • Social Certification (GRASP or SMETA – Initiatives for food safety Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit). • HACCP – Hazard Analysis and Critical The growers/exporters are also interested Control Point. in promoting the grapes in their area and in • BSCI – Business Social Compliance exporting them from the San Francisco Valley Initiative. with the demands of quality of integrated production, GLOBALGAP and other certifiers to • RAINFOREST ALLIANCE. receive a label of quality.

Varieties of Table grapes

These are some varieties of table grapes which have been studied by Embrapa (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária) in Brazil: Italia, Alphonse Lavallée (Ribier), Red Globe, African Delight, Benitaka (including “naturally improved”), Sugraone (Festival Seedless), Thompson Seedless, Dawn Seedless, IFG Five (Sweet Jubilee®), BRS Núbia, Sugrathirtyfive (AutumnCrispTM), Sheegene 2 (Timpson®), IFG Eleven (Sugar Crisp®), IFG Ten (Sweet Globe®), IFG Seven (Cotton Candy®), Arrafifteen(Arra Sweeties®), Crimson Seedless, Sheegene 13 (Timco®), IFG Twenty-One (Candy Snaps®), IFG Nine (Jack´s Salute®), Sugrasixteen (Sable SeedlessTM), Sugranineteen (Scarlotta Seedless ®), Sugrathirteen (Midnight Beauty®), IFG Fifteen (Sweet Surprise®), IFG Six (Sweet Sapphire®), BRS Vitória, BRS Ísis.

Acknowledgements:

CEAGESP, ABRAFRUTAS, FRUTAS DO BRASIL, CAJ, FAN, COOPA, EMBRAPA, PRODOMO, AECUS, FAZENDAS LABRUNIER, ARGO.