Brazil’s Fundecitrus launched the Good Fruits program, aimed at adoption of legal practices in labor relations, during the recent Expocitrus event. The program’s objectives are to contribute to more responsible management on rural properties, strengthen compliance with Brazilian standards and promote a fairer, safer and more productive work environment.
After launching the project, Fundecitrus distributed the guide “Employer Good Practices in Citrus Farming” to growers. The guide is a new publication that brings together essential guidelines on labor legislation aimed at the citrus sector. Topics range from compliance with legislation to health care, safety and valuing workers in the field.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Fundecitrus researcher and program coordinator Franklin Behlau said the initiative represents a significant step forward for Brazilian citrus farming.
“Our research has already made significant progress in increasing economic and environmental sustainability,” Behlau said. “Now, we are also stepping up our efforts to address the social pillar, drawing citrus growers’ attention to the need to work in accordance with the law … A fair, safe and respectful work environment not only improves productivity, but also strengthens the sector’s image and guarantees access to markets that are increasingly demanding in terms of social responsibility. Taking care of people means taking care of your production.”
CARBON STUDY
Also at Expocitrus, Lauro Rodrigues Nogueira Junior, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) territorial researcher, presented a lecture on carbon challenges and opportunities in the citrus industry. He presented data from work developed with the support of Fundecitrus and financed by Innocent Drinks.
This study identified a rich fauna living in or circulating through orange groves and estimated the capacity of the Citrus Belt to store carbon in orange trees, in the soil and in areas of native vegetation. According to the study, there are 36 million tons of carbon present in a territory of 560,000 hectares.
Source: Fundecitrus
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