Company based in Itajobi (SP)
is applying for a 100-percent organic
production certificate for its entire
Tahiti lemonplantations, by 2020
Itacitrus bets on
organic
fruits
Since2003,when thecompanyopted for
the production of its own Tahiti lemon crop
on its farm, knownasOur Ladyof GoodSuc-
cess I and II, Itacitrus, based in Itajobi (SP),
alreadyhadone foot inorganic farming, res-
cuing old practices, like the use of rope to-
bacco and pepper in its plantations.
In late 2017, the company conquered
the ECOCERT certification for the 100-per-
cent organic production in its 55 hectares.
Until 2020, it hopes to extend this quality la-
bel to its 800 hectares, where there are 350
thousand lemon trees. “Conventional agri-
culture has brought us to this point, but the
future lies in organic fruits”, says company
director Waldyr Promicia. To keep costs un-
der control, heproduceshisown inputs (like
compost for fertilizing soil, and pepper) on
the farm itself. Furthermore, he uses tech-
nology to select beneficial fungi and bac-
teria present in the region, spreading them
on the fields. “All people are invited to visit
our farm. It is our intention to shareandgive
publicity toour practices”, he says.
Itacitrus exports its entire production, of
1,000 tons a month, to the European conti-
nent, but as of 2019, it will also have an or-
ganic line focusedon thedomesticmarket.
