Plums in Southern Brazil: Artisanal and Industrial Production with a Strong Regional Identity

The Brazilian plum is cultivated mainly in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina — and has one of the strongest regional identities in southern Brazilian fruit growing. The Japanese plum (Prunus salicina) dominates national production, with varieties such as Reubennel, Wade and Santa Rosa adapted to the mountain climate.

Brazil produces about 150 thousand tons of plum per year. The premium dried plum — known as ameixa chilena in the popular market, but with a growing Brazilian artisanal version — has an accelerating functional health market. Plum juice and preserves have well-established premium niches.

When plums are grown with quality varieties (such as Zafira, disease-resistant, or European varieties focused on flavor) and processed artisanally, it allows significantly improving the product's added value, sensory quality and market competitiveness. This segment can contribute greatly to job and income generation in Brazil.

Take part in our strategic actions to implement the best solutions in the Brazilian agricultural sector. Our activities, studies and advanced research cover 20 value chains and the 255 segments of the national agribusiness — from the grain chain to sustainable extraction, including horticulture, fruit growing, livestock and much more.

The series Inovação Para o Brasil Produzir Mais was developed precisely to identify and implement the best solutions available in Brazil and worldwide, across the 255 segments of the agricultural sector — with accessible technical language, updated data and a focus on practical results for producers, suppliers, policymakers and marketers.

1. Opportunities for Small Rural Producers

How to produce quality plums and access the premium and processing market

Premium plums require a minimum caliber of 40mm, uniform coloration and Brix above 12%. The Santa Rosa variety has firm flesh and intense flavor — ideal for artisanal processing.

✔ Quality varieties: Santa Rosa, Reubennel, Wade

✔ Post-harvest cold room — shelf life of 14 to 28 days

✔ Control of bacterial disease and monilinia — main diseases

✔ Drying for artisanal dried plum — solar oven or dehydrator

✔ PRONAF and BRDE for plum orchards and processing

The E-Book 01 — Manual Estratégico para o Pequeno Produtor Rural presents, in detail, the best solutions for the segment and the other 254 agricultural segments — focusing on method, cost reduction and progressive growth from Agro 1.0 to Agro 6.0. Access now for R$ 50 →

2. Opportunities for Micro and Small Local Suppliers

Which equipment the plum chain requires

Artisanal premium dried plum is the product with the highest margin differential in the chain — and the dehydrator is the investment that multiplies the product's value.

Solutions by engineering area applied to the segment

Our activities, studies and advanced research cover six major engineering areas — and the chain requires solutions in all of them:

Electrical Engineering and Computing — dehydrators and drying temperature control;

Electronic Engineering and IoT — moisture sensors for dried plum;

Control and Automation Engineering — autoclaves for preserves and filling lines;

Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering — pitting machines and packing machines for dried plum;

Renewable Energy Engineering — solar for high-altitude dehydrators;

Data Science and Artificial Intelligence — seasonal harvest management.

✔ Plum dehydrators for artisanal production

✔ Automatic pitting machines for preserves

✔ Cold rooms for fresh plum

✔ Packing machines for dried plum for retail

✔ Technical assistance in artisanal processing

The E-Book 02 — Guia Estratégico para o Micro e Pequeno Fornecedor Local maps, segment by segment, business opportunities — focusing on IoT, energy, automation and specialized technical services. Access now for R$ 150 →

3. Opportunities for Municipal Governments

How the municipality can support plums and create a gastronomic identity

Dried and preserved plum is a gastronomic symbol of Southern Brazil — with a mountain identity that opens doors in the premium markets of the capitals.

✔ Artisanal dried plum cooperative with municipal brand

✔ PNAE with local dried plum for school meals

✔ Plum Festival — identity and mountain tourism

✔ Municipal IDM: volume of plum processed locally

✔ IG de Ameixa Serrana — artisanal designation of origin

The E-Book 03 — Guia de Referência para Governos Municipais presents the step-by-step process for secretaries and municipal managers to implement effective public policies for the 255 agricultural segments. Access now for R$ 450 →

4. Opportunities for Small Agricultural Product Merchants

How the plum generates business for processors, pharmacies and the natural products market

The artisanal dried plum without preservatives has a growing market in compounding pharmacies, natural product stores and e-commerce — sold for R$ 40 to R$ 80/kg, while the equivalent industrial Chilean plum costs R$ 25 to R$ 35/kg.

The artisanal concentrated plum juice is a high-demand functional product in the digestive health market — with a loyal audience that pays a premium for the natural preservative-free product.

Products with high commercial potential

The main derivative products from this segment for retail and local foodservice:

Artisanal dried plum without preservatives — functional product; R$ 40 to R$ 80/kg;

Plum preserve in glass — mountain gastronomic product;

Artisanal concentrated plum juice — digestive health product;

Premium calibrated fresh plum — premium seasonal retail;

Artisanal plum jam — premium gourmet product;

Artisanal plum liqueur — growing mountain niche beverage.

Profiles of merchants and their specific opportunities

✔ Processors: artisanal dried plum for pharmacies and natural stores

✔ Delicatessens: dried plum and premium mountain jam

✔ Natural pharmacies: preservative-free dried plum — digestive health product

✔ Digital platforms: mountain preserves kit with plum, peach and fig

✔ Distributors: fresh plum for supermarkets in season

✔ Exporters: artisanal plum for the Brazilian diaspora

Growth strategies for the local merchant

The artisanal dried plum processor who certifies absence of preservatives and origin identity gains access to the natural pharmacies market, natural stores and health e-commerce — where competition with the industrial product is minimal and the margin is maximal.

BRDE and PRONAF finance equipment. SEBRAE subsidizes certification. Pronampe covers working capital.

The E-Book 04 — Guia Estratégico para o Pequeno Comerciante de Produtos Agropecuários maps 30 merchant profiles and details growth opportunities across all 255 agricultural segments. Access now for R$ 150 →

Innovation and Technology Network

By purchasing any e-book in the series, you become a member of our Innovation and Technology Network. Members who form groups will be able to organize in-person strategic planning events to identify and implement the best solutions available in Brazil and worldwide. The minimum number of members varies according to the group's profile:

✔ Small Rural Producers: 100 members

✔ Micro and Small Supplier Companies: 33 members

✔ Municipal Governments: 10 members

✔ Small Agricultural Product Merchants: 33 members

⭐ Special offer: I will provide a 100% discount on the value of my hourly rate for the first 10 events held in Brazil, scheduled and confirmed by March 31, 2026.

Sincerely,

Ivo Alves

CEO · Master in Electrical and Computer Engineering · Specialist in Management of Innovation and Technology Projects

Teaching experience: IFPB and UFRN · 38 years of engineering experience