As Europe establishes itself as the leading market for exotic fruits, Brazilian exporters must navigate production peaks, certification pressures, and logistical challenges that require precision and continual adaptation.
With over 60 years of experience in the Brazilian market, Campal Frutas is one of the country's top fig exporters. "In 2024, we accounted for 40% of all Brazilian fig exports by volume," stated Julio Leite of Campal Frutas.
Figs are Campal's flagship product. The company produces them throughout the whole year, and production peaks between November and April. "We've achieved constant production thanks to our experience and structure. This allows us to supply the domestic and export markets all year round," Leite stated.
The company has successfully expanded its catalogue to include exotic fruits such as palmer mango, apple mango, pitaya, atemoya, guava, carambola, lychee, tropical avocado, and ginger. Recently, Campal began exporting mango to Spain and Portugal, achieving a successful entry. "This diversification has strengthened our international presence and opened new opportunities for local producers," Leite stated.
The company has 150 hectares of its own crops and works with certified producers under strict quality standards. "We have five international certifications, and we demand that our partners also meet these standards," he stressed. This commitment to quality is crucial for maintaining competitiveness, especially as they constantly face weather and logistical difficulties.
Eighty percent of their exports go to Europe, mainly to France, England, and the Netherlands. "We decided Europe would be our main destination more than 10 years ago. Now, we ship most of our volume to this destination," Leite stated. The rest is sent to Canada, Asia, and some destinations in the Middle East.
The start of the 2024 fig season was affected by weather events that caused a slight delay in production. "However, production boomed approximately three weeks after the usual start of the peak season, in October. This rebound brought a large supply to the market, which caused a momentary drop in prices, before they stabilized towards the beginning of 2025," he stated.
"Fig prices are governed by the dynamics of the Brazilian domestic market, and their value can range between 4 and 12 euros per 1.2 kg box. The fruit is well accepted, and there's little variation if the domestic market remains stable. Meanwhile, the 13.6-kg box of baby ginger was sold for 33 dollars. That's a high price for the season," he said.
Ninety-five percent of exports are carried out by air, which helps maintain the freshness of the product but creates significant logistical challenges. "Brazil still faces infrastructure problems, such as the lack of cold storage in airports, which can cause flights to be missed and affect quality," Leite explains.
"We expect better weather and more stable prices in the 2025 season. It seems this will be a much better year than the previous one," Leite concluded.
For more information:
Julio Leite
Campal Frutas
Brazil
Tel: +55 19 99696 0273
Email: [email protected]
www.campalfrutas.com.br