Socioeconomic and phytosanitary diagnosis of fruit farming in Rolim de Moura, RO, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this work was to perform a socioeconomic and phytosanitary survey on the fruit production in Rolim de Moura, RO, Brazil. The research was carried out with 20 smallholders working with commercial fruit growing, to whom 25 objective and discursive questions were addressed, and who were interviewed. The results showed that the labor market attracts the producers’ sons to the urban area, reducing the labor force of the fruit farming. Besides, the lack of technical assistance (50%) stimulates production where producers are not alerted for the use of PPE (personal protective equipment), when applying pesticides. There is also the lack of technological resources, a reason that together with the age of the producers contributes to reduce the production quality. However, the main problem faced in the commercialization of fruits is their low price. Plant health was compromised, as diseases were identified in all crops, especially in the passion fruit plantations, since the production decrease caused their abandonment, leading the producers to get involved with other sources of income, such as dairy farming, and only 25% of farmers subsist on fruit growing.