O Cacau do Amazonas: um estudo sobre sua história, políticas, produção e comercialização em Coari, Manaus e Urucurituba

Abstract

The present study intended to show the history, policies, production and marketing of cocoa in the Arnazon. Initially the selection of the two country sides, Coari and Urucurituba was done, Coari for it is the first and the biggest producer in the Solimões area; and Urucurituba for being the second and the biggest producer of medium Amazon. Manaus was also chosen for being the sale and Purchasing local, the entrance and out let for the products. Besides that, Manaus was aimed by PAM in 2004 as the biggest cocoa producer countryside in the state of Amazon. The specific goals are described as the following: understand why the cocoa culture that already had been the support of the north region, today it takes the third place in the national proportion; characterize the productive chain of cocoa in Manaus, Coari and Urucurituba; show the possible correlations arnong the three areas in studying; identify politics of encouragement to the cocoa production in the Amazon; calculate a fair price to the cocoa almonds; characterize the cocoa farmer, supply elements to the introduction of improvement for the life quality of cocoa farmers; to the production and comrnercialization.To reach these goals, information in research institutions is wanted, interviews with buyers and farmers of cocoa, open interviews and use of questionnaire are done. Also it was necessary a bibliographical review about the subject and bibliographical research that could supply price-support that explained the course of cocoa during the historical process. Historically it comes to a conclusion that the cocoa already had been a product of economical base, but that the colonizers did not have the intention to develop the cocoa origin region, therefore the culture was taken to another state of the country which became the biggest producer and aftenvards to African continent, which is the biggest world producer nowadays. Having very little or alrnost no support, the flooded land farmer keeps producing for more than four centuries. There is no specific politic directly to the production of cocoa and in the past recent years, because of the environmental debates, The flooded land cocoa is back again as an allied in the conservation of the Amazon environment. The research is very difficult to be accomplished in Amazon because of the ferritorial dimension, that's why it's necessary a politic directly to region, such as it is. The cocoa production needs to be stimulated, but for doing that it is necessary resources to the development of technology, technical support and qualification of the cocoa farmers.