Grape producers in Brazil's São Francisco Valley, north of Bahia, are improving foreign sales through a certification programme run by the ministry of science, technology and innovation (SECTI) within the Programme to Strengthen Business Activities, according to FreshPlaza.
'Importing countries request this type of certification to accept Brazilian fruit,' said Luana Carvalho, certification consultant for the Farmers' Co-operative of Juazeiro (CAJ). 'The audit is a comprehensive analysis of all the production, verifying the structure of the estate, personal protective equipment for workers and cleaning of the packing house.'
If one element fails to reach the necessary standards, producers reportedly have 28 days to make the requisite changes.
'It's a constant process of improvement,' said Carvalho, 'and countries are always requiring new certifications to accept grapes grown in the region of São Francisco Valley.'
Carvalho said that Bahia's grapes are exported to the US, the UK, the Netherlands and Germany, among others.
