News Story: Açaí Now Too Expensive For People of Brazil

Euterpe Oleracea, also known as açaí, is an essential fruit in the Brazilian diet and used to be the most affordable resource in the Amazon.

Açaí is an indigenous palm tree that grows in the rainforest. The native South American fruit used to only cost 1 or 2 reais per liter. Today, açaí costs 10 reais per liter. “Açaí is almost the same price as meat,” said Ima Vieira, an ecologist and director of Museu Emílio Goeldi in Belém, “It used to be the most affordable price for local people.”

Global demand for açaí has increased dramatically over the years and is now grown solely for cultivated as an export. As a result, there is an increase in local price and açaí is too expensive for the people who live here. The palm produces about 20 kg of fruit per year.

According to Açaí Berry Time, açaí has been in the region of Brazil for centuries. Before açaí became a popular product in the western region of the world, it used to be used for medicinal purposes by tribesmen in the Amazon.

Brazilians rely on açaí as a large portion of their diet because the berry has one of the highest antioxidant contents and helps control cholesterol. In addition, açaí helps the immune system, shield the heart and fight infection.

The process to produce açaí is very complex. First, natives club up the Açaí palm tree and cut the branches to gather the berries. Once the berries are cut, they are then transported to a production company and exported as an international product. There are many citizens involved in the course of producing açaí. “There are many middle men,” said Vieira.

Açaí can come in three forms: berries, juice and powder. The açaí berries are typically added in salads and the powder is used as a supplement.

However, the manufacturing of açaí is seen as an opportunity to produce a product without disturbing the rainforest. The rainforest is losing its biodiversity as a result of deforestation. From 2003-2004 over a billion trees were cut down. It is still unknown whether or not açaí has been affect by deforestation due to its rapid growth in the forest, where it’s mass-produced.

The people of Brazil do not know whether açaí is affected by the deforestation of the rainforest. Only time will tell what the future holds for the latest nutritional fruit.