Déterminants de la qualité pour la mangue produite dans le Nordeste brésilien

Abstract

Determinants of quality for mango produced in the Brazilian Nordeste.Abstract -Introduction. Since the installation, in the sixties, of vast irrigated perimeters in the Petrolina/Juazeiro area (Nordeste, Brazil), the region has become one of the large Brazilian areas of fruit-bearing production and, in particular, of mangos intended for export. In this zone, the producer-privileged situation is, however, threatened by prospects for very strong competition on the internal and export markets. The purchasers could become more demanding regarding the fruit quality. The study presented was undertaken to highlight the production organization and mango distribution to understand how quality could influence the operators' strategies in this zone. Materials and methods. An investigation carried out for 4 months in the Petrolina/Juazeiro region and into the largest wholesale Brazilian market located in São Paulo made it possible to consult 50 professional operators: producers, people in charge of packaging, wholesalers, exporters, importers, scientists and public institution representatives. Results and discussion. The distribution flows of mango produced in the Petrolina/Juazeiro region indicate that a strong production proportion (65%) is sold on the internal market and that 55% is forwarded by the wholesale markets. The successive exchange circuits, prejudicial to the fruit quality, can be very long. Analysis of the marketing and production costs shows that, at certain periods of the year, the internal market can be as remunerative as the market of exports towards Europe. The American market is that which involves most risks because of the significant investments it imposes, but it is also potentially the most lucrative from August to September. The quality of Petrolina/Juazeiro mango is due to its appearance, and especially to the management of maturity. Conclusion. Today prices are more determined by quantities available on the markets than by the effective mango quality. Because of competition to come, this situation should not last and quality will be essential to remaining competitive on the market. Better coordination of the mango operators and the development of techniques or training for better determination of the ideal time of harvesting and better control of the development of the fruit after harvest would make it possible to solve the most serious problems of quality.Brazil / Mangifera indica (fruits) / production / marketing channels / quality / market information Déterminants de la qualité pour la mangue produite dans le Nordeste brésilien.Résumé -Introduction. Depuis la mise en place, dans les années 60, de vastes périmètres irrigués dans la région de Petrolina/Juazeiro (Nordeste, Brésil), celle-ci est devenue l'un des grands pôles brésiliens de production fruitière et, en particulier, de mangues destinées à l'exportation. La situation privilégiée des producteurs de cette zone est pourtant menacée par des perspectives de concurrence très forte sur les marchés internes et d'exportation. Les acheteurs pour...