São Paulo – Two years ago, melons produced at the landless people settlement of Oziel Alves, in the city of Mossoró, 277 kilometres away from Natal, the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, ceased to be distributed in the domestic market only and gained space in the European market.
The first step towards exporting was taken by establishing a partnership with trading company RBR, based in the state of Santa Catarina, by means of contacts intermediated by the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae).
“We first contacted this group of growers in 2008, and we realized that we had a common interest. This affinity enabled us to increase the depth of our business together and of our partnership. Besides, the leading exporters already had clients on the market, and there was no space for them to work with us. Thus, we decided to start with a small volume and develop [the business] along with the growers in the settlement,” says Verno Bierhals Junior, trade manager of RBR.
Now, with 20 growers involved and generating work for 115 people, the settlement’s fruit exports generate 500,000 reals (US$ 277,000) in net profit each year. According to Jair Andrade, president of the Oziel Alves Settlement Growers Cooperative, initial investment to begin exporting was 600,000 reals (US$ 332,000). Fruit production, which also includes watermelons, is the only source of income for the 132 settled families.
The fruit will be shipped to Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, England, Spain, Portugal and Malta. According to Bierhals, the negotiation was intermediated by the trading company’s office in the Netherlands. “We showed the melons to our clients and adapted our production to their needs, and in this way we grew.”
The flavour of Brazilian fruit was a key factor for the success of foreign sales. “The acceptance was excellent. The flavour and overall quality were considered very good, and that enabled the expansion of our programmes and growing areas,” added the executive.
Franco Marinho, manager of the Sebrae’s Fruit Growing project, explains that in order to internationalize the production, they had to obtain certifications such as the Integrated Melon Production, which is domestic, and Global Gap, which is mandatory in order to export to Europe.
The production figures also point to a trend of growth. The 2009 crop totalled 1,000 tonnes, whereas 3,000 tonnes have been produced in 2010 so far.
Is there a possibility of entering the Arab market? Yes, there is, says Bierhals. “We have a few contacts in the Arab countries for apples and lemons, but we have never offered melons. It there is an interested and a good logistics option, it would be great to offer our products to that market.”
Contact
RBR Trading
Email: junior@rbrtrading.com.br
Tel.: +55 49 3246-1606
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
