The Japanese government is investing US$3 million in Brazil's fruit growing Jaíba region over the next four years to improve fruit production, the Brazilian government has announced.

The funds will be ploughed into developing an information system for local producers to improve fruit trading conditions as well as training in marketing planning.

Money will also go towards improving quality control, such as storage coolers and cooling tunnels, the donation of machine selection and classification of fruits, as well as training and certification.

The Minas Gerais state government and the International Cooperation Agency of Japan (JICA) signed an agreement for a four-year investment programme in post-harvesting and marketing practices.

JICA chief representative Katsuhiko Haga said he wanted Jaiba to become a national benchmark of irrigated agriculture.

"One of our desires is that the region has its own brand and becomes known as 'Jaiba Products'," he said.

The Jaíba region is in the extreme north of Minas Gerais and covers ​​67,526 hectares with an irrigated area of ​​53,66 hectares.

The investment project covers the municipalities of Jaíba and Matias Cardoso which last year sold 1.3 million of produce.

Its primary crops are lemons as well as mangoes, bananas and grapes, which are exported to Spain, Portugal and Argentina.

Photo: Jaíba Projeto

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