According to the ABPM, Brazil is positioned within the top 10 global apple producers. The country faced reduced yields in the past two harvests due to climatic adversities, with expectations set for recovery in the upcoming year. Celso Zancan of ABPM detailed the impact of drought and hail in 2022, leading to a harvest of approximately 950,000 tonnes in 2023, a decrease from the 1.3 million tonnes produced under normal conditions in 2021. The warmer winter of the last year further reduced output to less than 850,000 tonnes.
With harvests concentrated from January to March, the Brazilian market absorbs the majority of the production. Exports, which constitute about 10% of the harvest during favourable years, have seen fluctuations, with notable decreases in recent years due to the quality and size of the produce not meeting international standards.
Zancan highlighted a shift in the export market landscape, with Bangladesh emerging as the leading importer of Brazilian apples, overtaking traditional buyers due to geopolitical tensions and changing preferences. The stringent requirements of different markets, particularly for fruit size and colour, have influenced Brazil's export destinations, including increasing sales to India and challenges in meeting the demands of Arab countries for redder apples.
Domestically, São Paulo emerges as the prime consumer of apples owing to its significant population and economic status, followed by other states with varying degrees of consumption. Zancan emphasized potential growth in exports, especially to Arab nations, contingent on the production of larger, redder apples in future harvests.
Source: anba.com.br