(Fig. 1. Bunch of açai; Fig.2. Açaizal native floodplain; Figure 3. Growing açaizeros ashore; Figure 4. Acai collected mixer. Fig. 5. Various products derived from acai.)
The açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) Is native to the Brazilian Amazon state of Pará and is the main center of this natural dispersal palmácea. Spontaneous populations are also found in the states of Amapá, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, and in countries of South America (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Suriname and Guyana) and Central America (Panama). However, it is in the region of the Amazon River estuary which are the largest and densest natural populations of this palm, adapted to the elevated temperature, rainfall and relative humidity.
The açaí stands out among the various plant resources, for its abundance and produce important food for the local population as well as being the main source of raw materials for agro-palm in Brazil. The highest concentrations occur in soils of floodplains and flooded forest, natural forest ecosystems writing or in the form of massive known as palm heart areas, with estimated area of 1 million hectares.
It also occurs in areas of land, especially when located near the floodplains and flooded forest.
Fruit production, which came almost exclusively from the extraction, from the 1990s, came to be obtained also from native palm heart areas managed and deployed crops in lowland areas and land, located in regions with higher rainfall rainfall in singles and intercropping systems, with and without irrigation. Statistics show that about 80% of the production of fruits originate in extraction, while the remaining 20% come from palm heart areas managed and grown in flood plains and highlands.
From the açaí fruit is extracted wine, or simply acai pulp, as is known in the region. The acai fruit is usually eaten with manioc flour, associated with fish, shrimp or meat being the staple food for the populations of riverine origin. With the acai are manufactured ice cream, liqueurs, sweets, jams and nectars, and may be used, too, for the extraction of dyes and anthocyanin. The latest polls show the new organization chart tapping the fruit of the Acai Palm. The core corresponds to 85% of the total weight, which the sludge is used in the production of cosmetics, fibers in furniture, acoustic boards, tree fern fiber, plywood, auto industry, among others, the lumps in the industrialization of clean A4 products, as in coffee roasting, baking, extraction of edible oil, herbal and animal feed, as well as use in generating steam, charcoal and organic fertilizer. The pulp is 15% and is utilized in the traditional manner, food consumption, ice cream and other derivatives (Tinoco, 2005).
The interest in the implementation of fruit production has occurred because the acai before fully intended for local consumption, have conquered new markets and become an important source of income and employment. The sale of frozen pulp to other Brazilian states, has grown significantly with annual rates above 30%, reaching up to about 12 tons. Exports of pulp or mix as for other countries, beyond the thousand tons per year.
The increase in exports has led to product shortages and higher prices to local consumers, especially during the dry season, from January to June. The immediate impact of the appreciation of the product resulted in the expansion of palm heart areas handled in flood plains, and stimulated the rational deployment of crops on land. The most recent estimate by more than 15 000 hectares of managed and financed in the state of Pará, generating approximately 2000 direct jobs. In agribusiness acai, Pará, is estimated to involve 25 000 people.
Although açaí occurs naturally in high concentrations in the whole region of the Amazon estuary, economic production of fruits is credited primarily to the homogeneous microregions of Cameta (MRH 041), Holes Brief (MRH 035) and Arari (MRH 036) that over the past 10 years have contributed more than 90% of the state. In terms of fruit supply, the municipalities have outstanding shares of Cameta, the Lemon Tree Ajuru, Abaetetuba Igarapé-Miri, Ponta de Pedras and Mocajuba, responsible for about 80% of production in Pará.
The annual production of fruit stands around 160 000 tonnes, but is expected to increase when sensitive areas of cultivation and management submit satisfactory levels of productivity, estimated at 8 tons per hectare. Of the total collected, about 20% is consumed by households in the production site. The annual value of açaí fruit production in the state of Pará, is approximately 66 million.
This publication presents information about the technological and socioeconomic systems of cultivation, handling, transportation, processing and marketing, aiming to increase the performance of agribusiness, improving income and quality of life of farmers and gatherers involved in the commercial exploitation of açai.
Source: http://sistemasdeproducao.cnptia.embrapa.br
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