São Paulo – Minas Gerais has given the starting kick to a project aiming at appreciating its agricultural products on the domestic and international market. The initiative, called “Origem Minas”, is aimed at showing the diversity and quality of items traditionally produced in the state, like coffee, fruit, honey, cane spirit, flowers and cheese. The project is scheduled to take place by 2014, the year in which Brazil should be well in vogue due to the World Cup, to take place in the country, and may be extended to 2016, when the Olympics should take place in Brazil.
"The intention is to show that we have quality and diversity,” said Pierre Vilela, the coordinator of the technical advisory of the Federation of Agriculture and Livestock of the State of Minas Gerais (Faemg), which should develop the initiative alongside with the Minas Gerais state chapter of the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae). Initially, the six products mentioned above were selected by the project, but other sectors may participate, said Vilela. The fact that there is already work for qualification in these areas was determinant for the choice.
The project should be based on three pillars. The first is the training of farmers in the preparation of products for some markets. The second is promotion of articles at fairs and business roundtables, and the third is the incentive to communication, inviting publishing houses and specialized magazines to the country to learn about plantations and factories. To reach the objectives abroad, apart from bringing journalists to Brazil, the project should participate in fairs, promote business meetings with importers and take them to the production sites.
The activities do not yet have dates or sites specified, and they are being defined by the team responsible for promotion of “Origem Minas”. For 2012, however, apart from the release, there should also be a research. Participation in roundtables outside Brazil is being negotiated with the state government. The project should count on resources of over R$ 5 million
(US$ 2.5 million), to come from both organisations, and also to seek additional investment. Many of the activities of the initiative, in fact, depend on finding new partners.
The project, different from what may be imagined, should not provide a stamp to those participating and should not be restricted to a specific number. With each action to be developed, conditions for participation should be disclosed and entrepreneurs may enrol. In case they are not prepared, they will be invited to participate in a training programme. At the 2014 World Cup, the idea is to make use of the event, as Minas should host matches, for promotion of the products. The advertising in areas close to the stadium is restricted to the International Federation of Association Football (Fifa), but the project should try to find space through the state government.
Vilela said that the efforts of businessmen and producers weighs heavily on the quality of the products of agribusiness from Minas Gerais, but also that there are geographic conditions that favour the diversification. Minas Gerais is Brazil’s main producer of coffee, answering to half the domestic production and 25% of the global production. This year the state should pick 1.5 million tonnes. The state is also the main producer of milk in the country, with eight billion litres a year, and the country’s forth main producer of fruit, with 2.5 million tonnes.
*Translated by Mark Ament
