November brought with it not only the traditional rains of the season, but also an unexpected meteorological event that left a trail of destruction in Santa Catarina fruit plantations. Local fruit growers suffered severe losses.
According to surveys carried out by the Santa Catarina Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Company (Epagri) and reports from producers, losses reached the alarming mark of 100% of production on some properties. The impact, however, is not limited to the present, as producers will face not only the challenge of dealing with damaged fruit, but also with the investments necessary to recover the orchards, projecting a lasting impact for next year.
Epagri estimates that this year's harvest could see a drop of at least 30% in production, something that could impact the prices of products reaching the final consumer.
Source: abrafrutas.org