FRUIT PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF FRUITS IN THE STATE OF MINAS GERAIS

Abstract

Understanding the problems faced by the agriculturists and the other agents who work in the sector of fruit culture is a crucial stage among the actions that allow the intervention with the objective of meeting the identified demands, the improvement of the productivity indices and the increase of competitiveness in the various industry segments. The intention of knowing the problems and demands that are related to fruit culture in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, guided this research, which was conducted in 2009. Four demand prospection events were performed in diferente mesoregions of the state and allowed the dialogue between the agents of this sector. 157 people attended these events. Moreover, this study sought to understand the difficulties and needs of this sector by means of 25 directed interviews with representatives of the various segments involved in the production and commercialization process: extension agents, researchers, producers and industrialists. Among other identified problems, the following stand out: 1) deficiencies related to the organization of the productive system and the producers; 2) difficulties in commercialization; 3) low remuneration from the sale of the products; 4) deficiencies in the technical assistance system; and 5) high production cost.