Brazilian fruit growing, in addition to valuing the country's plant and cultural wealth, is supported by the three pillars of sustainability (economic, social and environmental), preserving biodiversity, generating jobs and promoting regional development.
The good weather and soil conditions allow us to have a wide variety of fruits throughout the year. Brazilian fruit production exceeds 41 million tons, occupying an average of 2.6 million hectares – that is, only 0.3% of the national territory is occupied by fruit growing, compared to 7.8% occupied by crops. There are more than 940 thousand agricultural establishments distributed in all regions of the country, of which 81% are classified as family farming. In 2021, the fruit industry employed 193,900 formal workers, an increase of 9% compared to 2020. The number of workers in fruit farming in 2021 corresponds to 11.5% of the total number of jobs in agriculture.
The Southeast region is the leader in fruit production, accounting for 51% of national production. The Southeast has microregions with varied climate and relief, which allows the cultivation of temperate and tropical fruits. The importance of fruit growing for the region is seen in the volume and diversity of production. Comprising the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo, the region also has the highest population concentration, around 42% of the country's population.
Source: abrafrutas.org