SOURCE: Abafrutas
TRANSLATION: Freshplaza
Brazil has consolidated itself as a leading fruit exporter, with shipments surpassing one million tons in 2024 and generating over US$1.2 billion, according to Abrafrutas. Mango ranks among the country’s key exports, with 88,000 tons shipped in the first half of 2025, making it the third most exported fruit.
Agropecuária Roriz Dantas (Agrodan), based in Belém de São Francisco, Pernambuco, is Brazil’s largest mango producer and exporter. The group manages seven farms covering 1,125 hectares of its own planted area and an additional 225 hectares of partner land. In 2024, Agrodan exported 30,000 tons of mangoes to several European destinations. “Today, 97% of our production is destined for the foreign market,” said Paulo Dantas, CEO and partner.
The company began operations in 1987, initially producing grapes, bananas, and mangoes on 41 hectares financed through a Banco do Brasil loan. Mango proved most adapted to the region’s conditions, and the group focused its production accordingly. By 1992, Agrodan entered the export market, establishing a strong presence in Europe. Today, it generates 1,400 direct jobs and cultivates seven mango varieties, including Tommy, Palmer, Keitt, and Kent.
Post-harvest handling remains central to Agrodan’s export strategy. The group operates two packing houses described as “the most modern in the world,” where fruit is sorted and graded with robotic systems. “This robot takes more than 20 photos of each mango simultaneously, classifying it for quality. It can process up to 40 tons per hour, which translates to 80,000 mangoes per hour, totaling 1.6 million photos per hour,” explained Dantas. After sorting, mangoes are packed in 4 kg boxes, cooled, and transferred to cold storage before being shipped to European supermarket chains and wholesalers.
Agrodan integrates traceability and cost management into its production through an ERP system provided by Senior Sistemas. All fruit entering the packing houses is labeled by batch, and transport trucks are also monitored. “All this data is crucial to our management, making decision-making in the field and the office more efficient,” Dantas noted.
The group has also invested in education. In 2016, the Professora Olindina Roriz Dantas School was founded on the farm premises, initially serving 224 students and now enrolling 440, including adult learners. The curriculum includes English, computer science, robotics, music, and sports. Agrodan provides transportation and meals. Plans include the introduction of a technical course in fruit growing and training programs in data science, developed in partnership with SENAR, to build a skilled agricultural workforce for the region.