Brazil hopes to expand its fresh fruit exports to China by adding several of its leading products, Brazilian Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina said on Monday.
In an interview with the foreign press, Cristina said Brazil is the third-largest fruit producer in the world, but a low-ranked exporter. The country only export melon to China.
"We are working hard since Brazil has huge potential but has just started these exports. I want to see if this year we manage to open the Chinese market to Brazilian grapes, a product of the highest quality, as well as other fruits, such as mangoes, which we already export to other countries," she said.
"We would really welcome China opening its door to new Brazilian fresh fruits," Cristina said.
The minister stressed the importance of China to Brazil's economy in the agribusiness sector, saying the South American country is open to new agreements and partnerships with Chinese companies.
"China's biggest food trader COFCO is in Brazil and purchases our products, and other Chinese companies are partners with the Brazilian business sector," she said.
"Demand is growing, there are new consumption habits, more health demands and the need to cope with global warming. I believe it will be necessary to increase agricultural production in the world in a sustainable way, reduce food loss and waste, strengthen social protection policies, and reduce inequalities in access to safe and healthy food. These are points that will be on our daily agenda in the future," said Cristina.
