Quality problems for locally-grown Gala and Fuji apples have prompted Brazilian consumers to opt for alternatives, including imported fruit.

Photo: The Marmot, via Flickr Creative Commons

A recent study by the São Paulo University's Center for Advanced Studies in Applied Economics (CEPEA) said foreign apples were gaining ground in the Brazilian market as a result.

The report said the General Warehouses Company of São Paulo (Ceagesp) had reported weaker sales than expected for Brazilian apples in the second half of 2014.

Ceagesp reported imported Galas had shown a better sales flow due to their superior quality, both in terms of color and flesh consistency.

The authors of the CEPEA report believed the current situation was due to local producers adopting a strategy to hold on to fruit for longer periods in order to get higher prices during periods of lower supply. As a result however, prices have been lower year-on-year.

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