Santa Catarina Passion fruit chain modernizes to remain productive and profitable

Abstract

Abstract - The passion fruit crop, also known as passion fruit chain, is one of the most important productive chains of the extreme south of Santa Catarina, mainly for the production of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis). In 2017, the cultivation of sour passion fruit generated the fourth largest gross value of agricultural production (VBP) in the Araranguá microregion, behind rice, tobacco and banana, which was among the five regions with the highest production of sour passion fruit in Brazil ( IBGE - PAM). Santa Catarina was the third largest producer of the fruit in the country, behind only Bahia and Ceará in 2017. Among the ten municipalities with the highest production in Brazil were São João do Sul and Sombrio, these being the only ones below the Tropico de Capricorn to be among the most significant producers. For Santa Catarina fruit growing, the VBP of the last harvests in passion fruit orchards has been similar to traditional crops such as grapevines and stone fruits, ranking in 2016 third among the fruits of Santa Catarina, second only to apple production. and banana, respectively.