Tangerine and Mandarin: Fresh, Tasty, and with Margins for Those Who Produce with Method

A tangerine and the mandarin are the citrus fruits with the highest popular acceptance in Brazil — easy to peel, sweet, and highly appreciated in fresh consumption. With over 900 thousand tons produced annually, Brazil is one of the largest producers in the world, with São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio Grande do Sul leading.

The premium tangerine market — varieties Ponkan, Murcott, Clementine, and Fremont — is growing with the appreciation of seedless fruits, easy peeling, and high sweetness. Certified organic tangerine has a premium of 40 to 80% over conventional and a growing market in grocery stores and e-commerce.

When tangerine is cultivated with selected varieties, quality management, and access to the premium retail, this segment can contribute greatly to job and income generation in Brazil.

Join our strategic actions for the implementation of the best solutions in the Brazilian agricultural sector. Our activities, studies, and advanced research cover 20 chains and the 255 segments of the national agro sector — from the grain chain to sustainable extractivism, passing through horticulture, fruit growing, livestock, and much more.

The series Innovation For Brazil to Produce More was developed precisely to identify and implement the best available solutions in Brazil and around the world, in the 255 segments of the agricultural sector — with accessible technical language, updated data, and a focus on practical results for producers, suppliers, governments, and marketers.

1.  Opportunities for Small Rural Producers

How to produce quality tangerine for premium retail and export

Quality tangerine requires the right variety for the target market and Brix management — the soluble solids content defines the flavor and price. Murcott with Brix above 14% is the standard for premium supermarkets.

✔    Premium varieties: Murcott, Fremont, Clementine — seedless and high Brix

✔    HLB (Greening) management — the main threat to citrus; control of the psyllid

✔    Drip irrigation — uniform and controlled Brix

✔    Cold storage post-harvest — shelf life of 3 to 6 weeks refrigerated

✔    PRONAF and BNDES for orchard renewal with premium varieties

The E-Book 01 — Strategic Manual for the Small Rural Producer presents, in detail, the best solutions for the segment and the other 254 of the Brazilian agro — focusing on methods, cost reduction, and progressive growth from Agro 1.0 to Agro 6.0.  Access now for BRL 99.00 →

2.  Opportunities for Micro and Small Local Suppliers

What equipment and services the tangerine chain demands

The tangerine chain demands automatic classifiers and cold storage to access supermarket networks and the export market.

Solutions by area of engineering applied to the segment

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

Electrical and Computing Engineering — automatic classifiers and cold storage for tangerine;

Electronic Engineering and IoT — Brix sensors and colorimetry for classification;

Control and Automation Engineering — classifiers by caliber and color for export;

Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering — waxers and packers of net for retail;

Renewable Energies Engineering — solar for cold storage;

Data Science and Artificial Intelligence — GlobalG.A.P. traceability for export.

✔    Automatic classifiers by caliber for export tangerine

✔    Cold storage for table tangerine

✔    Waxers for premium presentation in retail

✔    Traceability systems for GlobalG.A.P. certification

✔    Technical assistance in HLB control

The E-Book 02 — Strategic Guide for the Micro and Small Local Supplier maps, segment by segment, the business opportunities — focusing on IoT, energy, automation, and specialized technical services.  Access now for BRL 99.00 →

3.  Opportunities for Municipal Governments

How the municipality can support tangerine citrus cultivation

Municipalities in Sul de Minas and the interior of São Paulo see tangerine as a profitable alternative to conventional citrus — with premium varieties of higher value and less competition.

✔    Subsidized orchard renewal program with premium varieties

✔    PNAE with local fresh tangerine for school meals

✔    Tangerine Festival — regional identity and rural tourism

✔    Municipal IDM: average Brix of local tangerine as a quality indicator

✔    Support for organic certification of tangerines for the premium market

The E-Book 03 — Reference Guide for Municipal Governments presents the step-by-step for secretaries and municipal managers to implement effective public policies for the 255 segments of the agro.  Access now for BRL 99.00 →

4.  Opportunities for Small Agricultural Product Merchants

How tangerine generates business for distributors, juicing companies, and the premium market

The seedless Murcott and Fremont tangerine has a growing premium market in class A supermarkets — with a price 50 to 80% higher than conventional Ponkan tangerine. The distributor representing orchards with premium varieties has access to better contracts and higher margins.

The natural tangerine juice — especially from Clementine and Murcott — is the product with the greatest flavor differentiation among citrus juices, and juicing companies and bars that offer it have a unique product with high appeal.

Products with high commercial potential

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

Premium Murcott and Fremont tangerine — premium retail; 50 to 80% above Ponkan;

Certified organic tangerine — growing premium niche; 40 to 80% premium;

Natural tangerine juice — high flavor and margin juice product;

Artisanal tangerine jelly — regional gourmet product;

Packaged peeled tangerine — premium convenience for retail;

Tangerine peel essential oil — high-value aromatic ingredient.

Merchant profiles and their specific opportunities

✔    Distributors: premium tangerine for supermarket chains

✔    Juicing companies: Murcott or Clementine juice — premium flavor differentiation

✔    Grocery stores: organic tangerine and artisanal jelly

✔    Digital platforms: premium citrus basket with identified origin

✔    Natural pharmacies: tangerine peel essential oil

✔    Hotels: packaged peeled tangerine for room service

Growth strategies for the local merchant

The distributor who works with premium varieties directly from the producer and takes Murcott and Fremont tangerine to high-end supermarkets has margins 40 to 60% higher than those of conventional products — with the same logistic cost.

PRONAF and BNDES finance orchard renewal. Pronampe covers distributors and processors.

The E-Book 04 — Strategic Guide for the Small Agricultural Product Merchant maps 30 merchant profiles and details growth opportunities in all 255 segments of the agro.  Access now for BRL 99.00 →

Innovation and Technology Network

By purchasing any e-book from the series, you become a member of our Innovation and Technology Network. Groups with 30 members will be able to organize and fund in-person strategic planning events to identify and implement the best available solutions in Brazil and the world.

✔    Small Rural Producers

✔    Micro and Small Supplier Enterprises

✔    Municipal Governments

✔    Small Agricultural Product Merchants

⭐  Special offer: I will provide 100% discount on the value of my working hours for the 10 pioneer events organized by 11/30/26 and held in December 2026. Therefore, the 10 pioneer groups will only cover the general expenses.

Sincerely,

Ivo Alves

CEO · Master in Electrical and Computing Engineering · Specialist in Innovation and Technology Project Management

Teacher: IFPB and UFRN  ·  38 years of experience in Engineering