Avaliação da cadeia produtiva de meliponicultura, nas comunidades Palestina e Rei Davi, Manacapuru-AM, Brasil

Abstract

The ain of this work was to analyze the honey producing chain of stingless bees, in two communities in the municipality of Manacapuru, Amazonas state , Brazil, for a profile of the honey producers and technicians who work in this area, in keeping with the consumers of honey, as well as the impediments and potentialities of this activity in the studied area. Field work was undertaken through interviews and filling out of forms addressed to honey producers, to government technicians, and consumers of stingless bee honey. The results showed that the bee species the two communities worked with were the Melipona rufiventris and the Melipona seminigra, that the producers make use of the rational raising of stingless bees, divide the colonies, feed then artificial food, and that only one of producers sells his product. Hygiene, processing, bottling, and labeling of the honey leave a lot of be desired. Consumers know that the honey exists, without access to same, they demand a quality product. Although government technicians do not agree amongst themselves on some aspects, they do agree that organization of the producers is fundamental to their survival. Our conclusions point to a lack of basic segments in the productive chain, to impediments for input and improvement, to a deficiency in processing, and to the inexistence of commercial distribution.