Analysis of vegetable seed importation

Abstract

The author collected and studied data concerning vegetable seed importation during 1960 to 1962, recording places of origin and estimates of value. Conclusions were the following: 1. In 1960, Brazil imported 631,743.2 kg of seed of 66 kinds of vegetables, having an estimated value of US$ 1,269,803.83 or Cr$ 248.148.729,00 in 1961, seed importation totalled 369,175.3 kg of 53 species, with a value of US$ 760,501.12 or Cr$ 177.942.294,60; in 1962, 422,640.2 kg of seed of 60 vegetable species were imported, the cost totalling US$ 879,091.62 or Cr$ 268.968.223,30. The average for the three years was 474,519.6 kg of seed comprising 70 kinds, and the estimated value being US$ 969,798.86 or Cr$ 231.686.415,60. 2. An average of 43.8% of the imported seed was pea, 11.3% lentil, 7.0% onion, 6.4% carrot, 4.4% radish, 3.6% lettuce, 3.2% cabbage, 2.6% beet, 2.4% chicory and 15.3% of other 61 different kinds. 3. The states of São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul were the major importers of vegetable seed, followed by the states of Guanabara, Pernambuco, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Bahia and Ceará. An average percent of 41.5% of vegetable seed came through São Paulo, 39.8% through Rio Grande do Sul, 15.3% through Guanabara and the remaining 3.4% through other states. 4. During the three years, an average of 45.3% of the seed came from the United States, 16.1% from Spain, 15.2% from Denmark, 9.0% from Marocco, 6.7% from France, 4.0% from Japan and 3.8% from other countries. 5. A marked oscillation was observed in the amount of vegetable seed imported by the country and respective importing states during each of the three years studied. Species and amount of seed imported per kind also varied largely during each year. 6. General observation of data expressed as weight units showed pea to have the largest average amount per weight unit, followed by onion, carrot, radish, lettuce, cabbage and beets, for their amount and frequency of importation. 7. Taking into consideration average number of seed per gram, the most imported seed during the last three years were: carrot, lettuce, onion, cabbage, radish, pea, beet seed in this order.