In Paraná, Brazil, the Family Farmers Cooperative of the Municipalities of Amenorte (Cooanorte) marks a significant milestone with the commencement of passion fruit harvesting, a venture involving 65 of its 130 members. This initiative, supported by IDR-Paraná, aligns with Cooanorte's collaboration with Polpanorte, a leading fruit pulp producer in Japurá. The partnership ensures the purchase of the entire yield at a minimum price, with an initial supply of 850 tons of fruit.
Polpanorte's ambition to consume 5,000 tons of passion fruit this year presents a promising opportunity for local farmers. Beyond passion fruit, Cooanorte aims to enhance the production chain with crops like acerola and strawberries. Polpanorte's commitment includes subsidizing seedlings for the cooperative's members, fostering a range of value-added products from the harvested fruits.
Support from the Amenorte municipalities, with Cianorte as the focal point, encompasses infrastructure provision and logistics expansion, further empowering the cooperative's efforts in technical assistance and commercial facilitation. This comprehensive approach has positioned passion fruit cultivation as an attractive investment for producers.