Do Extrativismo à Domesticação: o Caso dos Bacurizeiros (Platonia insignis Mart.) do Nordeste Paraense e da Ilha do Marajó.

Abstract

Bacuri (Platonia insignis Mart.) is a medium to large size tree species, native to the Eastern Amazon, with a great potential for fruit, timber and energy production. The species is economically important in the states of Para, Maranhao and Piaui, where most dense and diverse natural populations are scattered in areas of secondary vegetation. The aim of this study was to identify and observe the practices carried out in systems (extraction, managed and planted), developed by smallholder farmers of the Northeast Region of Pará and Marajo Island, in view of its growing potential for the fruit industry and for the reclamation of degraded areas in Eastern Amazon. The sample consisted of 108 farmers from the Northeast Region of Para and Marajo Island, all of which were georeferenced, data collected consisted of the availability of bacuri trees in the establishment, the kind of management used and the kind of practices adopted. The adoption of empirical practices in the management of resprout indicates the need of increased investment in science and technology for the management of this species. Among these topics, we highlight the development of a fruit pulp extraction machine, use of the peel and seed, cultivation and fertilization, development of varieties with higher pulp content and precocity, among others. It is hoped that with the adoption of the management systems, the transformation of degraded areas into bacuri trees orchards, which could be made possible through the use of specific credit lines in these two studied Mesoregions. It follows what is happening to the reduction of farmers practicing the gathering system, and the growth of farmers are adopting the management system for regrowth and the start of the producers who are starting the system planted with bacuri trees. It is emphasized that the planted system is adopted by farmers more advanced, which has been induced by market growth of bacuri fruit and pulp in agroforestry and monoculture. Some producers who adopt the gathering system are shifting to the managed system for regrowth and new producers are taking advantage of the bacuri trees resprouts in their properties.