Port of Itajaí targets European market to expand exports of Santa Catarina’s traditional banana crop

An international mission from the Port of Itajaí in Italy held a strategic meeting on Tuesday (10) at the Port of Gioia Tauro, in the Calabria region, aimed at expanding commercial opportunities for bananas produced in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina in the European market.

Brazilian and Italian authorities, representatives of the productive sector and organizations supporting foreign trade attended the meeting. Participants included Brazil’s ambassador to Italy, Renato Mosca, Italian federal deputy Fabio Porta, as well as representatives from ApexBrasil and Sebrae.

The Brazilian delegation was also received by Gioia Tauro mayor Simona Scarcella. The meeting also brought together 15 mayors from municipalities across Calabria, who joined the institutional agenda focused on strengthening trade relations between Brazil and Italy.

The initiative is part of the Export Qualification Program (PEIEX), developed by ApexBrasil in partnership with Sebrae, which supports Brazilian producers and companies in the process of internationalization and access to new markets.

Port of Itajaí eyes Europe

Santa Catarina is among Brazil’s leading banana-producing states, with annual output close to 700,000 tonnes, concentrated mainly in the Itajaí Valley and the northern part of the state. The production chain is largely based on family farming, which generates income and employment for thousands of households.

During the meeting, participants presented the characteristics of Santa Catarina’s production, the quality of the fruit and the logistics capacity of the Port of Itajaí to serve as an export platform for the European market.

João Paulo Tavares Bastos, superintendent of the Port of Itajaí, said the mission represents an important step in bringing Brazilian producers closer to new international markets.

“Santa Catarina has a strong banana production base, rooted in family farming and recognized for its quality. Our goal with this mission is to open doors so that this product can reach new markets in Europe, generating more income in rural areas, more jobs and greater cargo throughput at the Port of Itajaí,” he said.

According to Bastos, the initiative also seeks to strengthen the role of the port as a link between regional production and international trade.

“We are showing that the Port of Itajaí is ready to serve as an export hub for family farming products from southern Brazil. By bringing together producers, authorities and international partners, we are creating concrete opportunities to expand trade between Brazil and Europe,” he added.

The agenda forms part of the Port of Itajaí’s internationalization strategy and efforts to promote exports from Santa Catarina, taking advantage of opportunities that may arise from progress on the Mercosur–European Union trade agreement.

According to the port authority, the mission is expected to lead to new commercial partnerships, increased cargo flows and greater income and job creation both in rural areas and along the logistics chain linked to foreign trade.

Source: ND Mais

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