It is generally assumed that the strength of internal consumption has kept exports to a minimum, but Fernando Almeida (pictured), chief executive of Valexport and one of the founders and former president of the Brazilian Fruit Institute (IBRAF), told the Journal that 20 years of heavy internal inflation took their toll on Brazil's growers and it is only in the last five years that emphasis has truly begun to switch from volume to quality.

'Growers got used to producing for volume rather than quality in the years of high inflation,' he said. 'The main thing was to get as much fruit and vegetables into the marketplace as possible, and even though there was 40 per cent wastage the lack of value of the real made this unimportant as the multiples were able to cover for that with huge margins.

'Now this cannot be afforded and the Brazilian supermarkets are following the rest of the world in demanding much higher food safety standards. Margins are much tighter and this can only help the export market, although there are a large number of smaller growers who still believe in the volume first principle and are not interested in the external market.' Almeida would like to see more exporters from Brazil but not until quality is a given. 'How can you export unless you concentrate 100 per cent on quality?' he asked. 'We have been held back for many years by currency problems, but now we can move forward by working together towards common goals.' Focusing on his own region, the São Francisco Valley in Brazil's north east, he added: 'As a relatively new producing region, we are fortunate as we do not bear as many scars and have not had too many bad experiences – therefore I believe it is easier for us to adapt to new market challenges.' Valexport represents 80 per cent of the valley's exports, but third party input is extremely important. Almeida said: 'It is vital we have outside people coming into our region to talk to growers – that's when the message hits home.'

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