Reports on fruit production in the Cerrado: an alternative source of income for medium and small producers.

Abstract

Fruit farming has been expanding in the central-west region, becoming a profitable alternative for small producers. Among the fruit species, passion fruit cultivation is an excellent option, with favorable edaphoclimatic conditions and adapted cultivars. The objective of this work was to promote the development of passion fruit cultivation in the municipality of Palmeiras de Goiás and its surroundings, with emphasis on the Canudos settlement, through a series of lectures, production and distribution of seedlings, and monitoring and technical guidance in the field for medium and small producers. It was observed that the producers accompanied by the extension project did not monitor costs and profits, and established orchards without in-depth knowledge of the crop. The results obtained served to provide a panoramic view of the local reality and to create strategies to be developed in 2026, such as the pilot orchard to be implemented in the Canudos settlement.