Brasília, 6/26/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Brazilian exports of fresh fruit are expected to rise 30% this year, compared to 2002, rising from US$241 million to US$350 million, reports the Brazilian Fruit Institute - housed in the Instituto Brasileiro de Frutas (Ibras). The institute and Ibras are part of a fruit-growing program run together with the Export Promotion Agency (Apex) - housed in the Ministry of Development.

Fresh fruit export volume is also expected to rise from 669,000 tons in 2002, to 850,000 tons this year. "We want to get another 500 firms, both producers and exporters, involved in this effort," says the Ibras president, Moacyr Saraiva Fernandes.

Ibras has a budget of US$8.5 million which it intends to use to boost exports. One success story is the Brazilian papaya (mamão papaya) which now accounts for 70% of all papaya sales worldwide. "Our stated goal is to reach exports of US$1 billion. That is something Brazil can do," says Fernandes. (AB)