Brazil’s fruit exports to Canada expected to drop by 20-30% due to coronavirus

The Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce (CCBC) predicts a 20 to 30% drop in Brazil’s fruit exports to Canada due to the pandemic caused by the coronavirus. “Previously, fruits were exported on a daily basis. In the first quarter of 2020, Brazil exported more than 2.5 tonnes of fruit to Canada.

After the cancellation of direct flights, on March 28 exporters began to have serious difficulties, because many of these products are highly perishable and cannot go by sea. The flight alternatives – some via Lisbon, others via Frankfurt – end up making the process very expensive,” says Paulo de Castro Reis, director of institutional relations at CCBC.

Some more resistant fruits, such as melon, pineapple, and mango, are going by sea. The most perishable products, such as grapes, papayas, lychees, and custard apples, are currently not being exported. “We are entering the persimmon harvest season, but exporters will not be able to ship it, which will inevitably result in losses,” evaluates Castro Reis.

The technical and project manager of the Brazilian Association of Fruit and Derivative Export Producers (Abrafrutas), Jorge de Souza, explains that foreign demand for Brazilian fruits continues, and the flow of shipments by sea is close to normal. Fruits such as lemons, grapes, mangoes, and melons travel well by ship, with only slightly longer transit times.

“On average, demand remained broadly unchanged for all destinations. What happened was that the logistics were a little hampered by the shipping difficulties. The normal time that was around 28 days for the Middle East is now between 35 and 38 days, which is a bit of a concern in terms of quality,” he said.

Sources: Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce and Brazil-Arab News Agency

Sharing is caring!