Young takes over 13 farms and becomes a reference in citrus

Within a few months, young Sarita Junqueira Rodas, graduated in law and who at the age of 25 was studying with the aim of joining the Public Ministry, lost one of her sisters and her father, agriculturalist Fábio Rodas.

To complete the scenario of darkness, as he defines it, the world soon began to face the financial crisis of 2008.

So, out of nowhere, she was forced to meet with her mother and her other sister to discuss what to do with the group’s 13 farms (12 in São Paulo and 1 in Mato Grosso do Sul), since whoever was being prepared to taking over the citrus business was precisely the sister who died.

“Sarita citriculturist was born with forceps without even having been generated. I was born premature in the midst of chaos. There were times when I looked at my mother and said ‘what’s going on?’. I didn’t understand where we were. If it was a year prosperous, maybe we wouldn’t have made it. If there seems to be a little light, we walk more slowly and are not afraid of the dark. But everything was so dark”, he said.

Accompanied by an uncle, a cousin and friends of her father — all seen by her as a reference —, she immersed herself in the world of agriculture to unravel the intricacies of rural activities as diverse as orange orchards, sugarcane plantations, soy plantations and cattle raising. .

It worked out. Today at 39, agriculturalist Sarita, the first woman elected to the Fundecitrus deliberative council in 2016, heads the Junqueira Rodas Group, which is headquartered in Monte Azul Paulista (403 km from São Paulo) and employs 500 employees.

Current revenue, the value of which she does not reveal, is almost four times greater and the total number of properties remained at 13, but with growth of 25% in the area, which today totals more than 13 thousand hectares (the equivalent of 18,207 soccer fields). ) and which, in just four years, saw sugarcane production grow by 40%.

The main business, however, is orange. There are more than 2 million trees in six cities in São Paulo, resulting in more than three million boxes per harvest.

Divorced and mother of three, she is a respected name in the citrus industry and defines the company, founded in 1968, as family-owned, “with the majority of female partners and female management”.

Three nephews, one being a woman, have also always been part of the corporate structure alongside her, her sister and her mother.

She defends the work done by Minister Tereza Cristina (Agriculture), about whom she says she is “constantly looking for solutions”, but refutes the label of “woman in agriculture” to define her role and that of other women in the countryside.

“I don’t like women in the farm, in the hospital, at the funeral, I like to be an efficient person. In a company where 66% of the partners are women and the management is female, we managed to be efficient in the production of several products. and the regret of conquering a space because I am a woman […] I’m sorry for those who believe in seeking space for sex, I don’t believe it. If you give me a rifle to fight for Brazil I will go, I can’t have any difference, I want equality,” she said.

The only one of the six partners effectively managing the business, Sarita sees the other members participating in the group’s board of directors and financial and new business committees. Given the history, the family is already thinking about the succession.

“Because we have lived a very abrupt succession, thinking about it is a reality for us. If I could choose, I would choose my father to be here giving you this interview, but unfortunately it’s not in my hands, I couldn’t make that choice.”