Priscilla Mazenotti
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - Brazil is the world's third biggest fruit producer with an annual average of 40 million tons. Yesterday, in order to give fruit production a further boost, eighty-one congressmen (eight senators and 73 deputies) announced the formation of a Parliamentary Fruit Front (Frente Parlamentar da Fruticultura) that will attempt to integrate public and private sector policy in the area and work to make it easier for the country to export more fruit.

According to Afonso Hamm (PP-RS), the coordinator of the Front, "We will also put seasonal fruit in school lunches and ensure that producers get more income." Hamm says the sector employees 5 million people.

Translation: Allen Bennett