Olive oil production in Brazil should grow more than 40% in 2018

Despite the Frost that affected the orchards in the Rio Grande do Sul, which can reduce the supply of olives, olive oil production in Brazil should reach 150,000 liters in 2018, 42.8% increase compared with the 105,000 liters produced last year in the country.
According to the President of the Brazilian Institute of Olive (Ibraoliva), Eudes Marchetti, the increased production of oil will be possible due to the increase of the harvest of olives expected for the States of Minas Gerais and São Paulo. "In those States, flowering was very good and the crop tends to be positive" evaluated. The harvest begins in mid-February and will extend through the month of April.
The Rio Grande do Sul should produce between 50 and 55000 liters of olive oil, produced in the year of 55000 litres 2017, which will require the collection of 400 to 450,000 kilos of olives. "Frosts recorded were very strong, which caused a very large fruit abortion," said Marchetti.
He even pointed out that, although the number of orchards in the adult stage has grown, still represents only 40% of a total estimated at 6000 hectares cultivated in the country. The other 60% are considered to be new, with less than six years. The olive tree begins to produce in the fourth year of existence, however, produce in your maximum capacity only after eight years.
"I hope that within five years we will have a more stable production and with genetic material that best suits our needs", designed Marchetti.
Import
Although the brazilian production is growing, it still represents less than 2% of national consumption, which is 100,000 tons. The Brazil is the second largest importer in the world and should bring in 2017/2018, 60000 tons of the product. The oil reaches the Country costing around R $40 R $60 per liter, while the Brazilian is sold between R $60 and R $100, in the case of extra-virgens.
Last month, the Ibraoliva sent craft to the Ministry of agriculture (Mapa) asking for a ban on the importation of olive oil in bulk. The measure aims to restrict the sale of products that have a mixture of other ingredients.
The request was made after the disclosure by the Ministry of Agriculture of a list of 64 84 marks companies that were deprecated in tests at the end of November, which showed evidence of fraud in the products. At the time, 800,000 litres of olive oil unfit for consumption have been withdrawn from the market.
"We want to be allowed to enter a maximum of five liter cans, which inhibits the sale of products with irregularities," said the President of the entity.
He explained that most of the product as is classified as irregular lampante olive oil, which is extracted from olives which have deteriorated or fermented, have acidity greater than 2%, and, in some cases, be sold with soybean oil. Between March and November 2017, were imported 130,000 liters of the product in the country.
The Ibraoliva claimed not to have received return of the Map as the application and shall charge a response even in January. "This is a serious issue, because low-quality products being consumer in the country."
The General Coordinator of Vegetable inspection Quality of products of plant origin, Fatima Parizzi, believes, however, that any restriction on imports of olive oil in bulk could be challenged in the World Trade Organization (WTO). "The import in law and create a barrier can generate retaliation." She claims that the irregularity has been verified in the process of packaging of the product in Brazil and not abroad. "Since February of last year, the monitoring was intensified and the product is only released after providing data about where it will be refined, which decreased imports," he stressed.
According to her, 40% of the oil in Brazil was monitored in accordance in 2016 and 2017. "Our goal is that in two years, can reach 90%."