The Brazilian Table Grape Project
Joining forces for more quality and food safety
How it all started
Grapes are cultivated in various Brazilian states, with the most important grape-growing regions being in the south, southeast, and northeast of the country. Although the south of Brazil is the country’s largest grape-growing area, it is worth pointing out that the grapes grown in that area are mainly wine grapes, while in the southeast and northeast regions table grapes are more important. Grape growing in the northeast of Brazil is concentrated mainly in the São Francisco River Valley, the Pernambuco area, and Bahia State. Favored by good natural resources and public and private investments in irrigation projects, this region has had a significant expansion in the cultivated acreage and harvested crop of grapes. Viticulture is of great economic and social importance for this region.
Since UNIVEG signed a global agreement with Bayer CropScience in 2012, several Food Chain Partnership projects have been implemented around the world to ensure the sustainable production of high-quality fruits and vegetables. In order to further improve the quality of its Brazilian table grapes, UNIVEG decided to join forces with Bayer CropScience in the Pernambuco area. UNIVEG owns 156 hectares of grape-growing acreage in Petrolina, where several varieties of grape are grown.
left: Elaine Delgado, Sustainable Development Coordinator of Bayer CropScience Brazil; right: Yapomira Lustosa Pires de Sa, Production Manager of UNIVEG - Expofruit Brazil
Who is involved
UNIVEG is a worldwide supplier of fresh produce operating in the fields of fruit and vegetables, flowers and plants, convenience products, as well as transport and logistics. With operations across six continents, UNIVEG serves a global customer base in 26 countries.
In addition to its own production facilities UNIVEG collaborates with partner farms on 70 hectares that grow fruit under the guidance of UNIVEG technical staff.
Bayer CropScience Brazil has always been very close to farmers through its technical staff and distributors, offering innovative solutions for crops. In addition, Bayer provides important tools to help farmers in their constant search for excellence in production and in achieving sustainability in business through an approach named the More Quality program.