This study estimates for the Brazilian fruit trees, mainly banana, orange, apple, melon and grape, the relative demand for chemicals, considering total expenses and quantity demanded for active principle per hectare, from 1997 to 2000. It is also established a comparative analysis among this demand with ones made by the main Brazilian crops (soybean, maize, sugar cane and coffee), that are predominating in terms of grown area and dominating, in absolute terms, of chemicals total expenses and consume of active principle volume in Brazil. Yet, determines, in absolute terms, the importance of fruit trees in chemicals total expenses and active principle consume, especially acaricides and fungicides. It concludes, about the importance of estimated relative demand for fruit trees, that it is higher than the ones by the mainly commercial crops in the country, offering indicators for the demand and market behavior to chemicals different classes by the Brazilian fruit trees.
fruit trees; relative demand; chemicals; active principle
