Although papaya is one of the most exported fruits by Brazil, especially to the European Community, internal obstacles still prevent exports from growing. Currently, according to the Brazilian Association of Papaya Producers and Exporters (Brapex), only 2% of national production is sold abroad.
That is why Brapex met with Ceagesp officials and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa) to join efforts to encourage actions to control the traceability of the fruit.
José Roberto Macedo Fontes, the executive director of Brapex, says that the difficulties that the sector faces to expand exports are great. According to him, the existence of producers who have not yet implemented traceability affects the chain, harming the control of the use of pesticides in papaya. “This product has been purchased by middlemen who use packages similar to those of certified producers and sell at Ceagesp,” said the association's director.
Source: abrafrutas.org