We are reporting below some interesting information about some vegetable crops in Brazil as you can see below.

TOMATO SEED FRESH MARKET

Below we have planted areas by region in 2019, 2020 and 2021 crop years - you can see names of cities that concentrate planted area by states. (source: CEPEA magazine)

Usually in some the planted area in concentrated in the South region where there is less rain than on center region. Majority of tomato growers use hybrids seeds, and round shape fruit & indeterminate plants represents the largest segment followed by saladete type. This last one could be indeterminate and determinate. Third segment is represented by Santa Cruz (Chonto )type. Open field is probably more than 97% of cultivated area.

Below there is a market segmentation on round shape fruit type (called Salada in Brazil), done for years ago (F. Marcon –ABCSEM- FM tomato Seminis 2017). The info segments the market by determinate and indeterminate and disease resistance.

Similar information you can see below for Saladete type (source: same as above)

WATERMELON SEED MARKET

This is another very important crop on vegetable & fruit segment in Brazil. Below you see distribution of planted are around the country (CEPEA magazine). Usually watermelon are planted in summer in the South States while at more cold months it moves to the Central and Northeast regions of the country that does not have cold winter. Production in Rio Grande do Norte and Ceara States are done at melon growing regions and are watermelon for export, so fruits on this region are more personal and seedless types. High percentage of watermelon crop in Brazil are using hybrids and on last year’s we have an expansion of seedless types and yellow flesh for domestic market. Crimson Sweet fruit shape and color is preferred on regular market size.

MELON SEED MARKET

Since several years ago, Brazil is an important player in melon exportation especially to Europe. This happened normally from Sept thru Jan when Europe is at cold season. Majority of melons in Brazil are yellow fruit type (around 50%), followed by Piel de Sapo, Galia and Harper types. As map below (CEPEA magazine) shows melon crop is extremely concentrated in Rio Grande do Norte and Ceara State that makes easier to move fruits directly from these region to Europe. Hybrids represent probably more than 95% of seeds used and very high seed percentage are imported. Melon growers use very modern production technique as well follow several procedures to have fruits reaching fruit importers requirements. Usually export fruit contract are negotiated before sow the crops.

View of melons fields in Agricola Famosa one of largest melon producing farm in the world.

CARROT SEED MARKET

Carrot is another important vegetable crop in Brazil. Map below (CEPEA magazine) show the distribution of growing region around the country. Sao Gotardo region is the more important since it grows winter and summer crops, and is the region using sophisticated agriculture technique including mechanical sowing system. Majority of carrot seed used in Brazil are hybrids, and for summer, it must have a high tolerance to Alternaria. Therefore, hybrids for this season always incorporated “tropical blood” on their development. Carrot seeds are sold in 1000 seeds units instead of kg. Seeds in general are pelleted.

ONION SEED MARKET

Onion is a very important vegetable crop in Brazil. As the map below (CEPEA magazine) shows, we have different growing regions in the country. South region is that last sowing area in calendar year and still use open pollinated cultivars, developed by public or private companies in Brazil. These are more intermediate day length varieties and have a very good post-harvest ability. Center growing region is the most sophisticated region in terms of crop techniques, and it used hybrids seeds in a very high density (about 1 million seeds per ha). Hybrids seeds are almost 100% imported seeds. Finally, the Northeast growing region use to plant only OP, but is moving to hybrids. OP are also developed in Brazil by public or private entities. Onion seed market has a high value in US$.

High density onion fields

LETTUCE SEED MARKET

Map below (CEPEA magazine) show only the three most important growing for lettuce, and located to the big consumers center, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. Usually in Brazil lettuce are planted on the green belts near to this big population center. Lettuce seeds are being sold in very high percentage in pelleted seeds that are used by seedlings producers who deliver it to growers. Loos leaf types and iceberg are the predominant types, while butter head decrease from past. News types are being introduced trying to attract new consumers, like red color leaves, etc.