Análise econômica e custo de produção da cadeia extrativista do Baru (Dipteryx Alata Vog.) na região de Nossa Senhora do Livramento, Mato Grosso

Abstract

The Baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) extractive chain constitutes a relevant socioeconomic and environmental alternative for traditional communities in the Brazilian Cerrado, by integrating income generation, biodiversity conservation, and the preservation of local livelihoods. Its sustainability, however, relies on economic feasibility. This study aimed to analyze the production costs of Baru fruits and kernels and to evaluate the profitability of the extractive chain in Nossa Senhora do Livramento, Mato Grosso. The research is applied, descriptive, and explanatory, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. It was based on secondary data from a survey of 40 extractivist families during the 2022 harvest. The analysis comprised technical production coefficients, cost structures, economic indicators, and prospective scenarios, including 2023–2024 market prices, the Minimum Price Guarantee Policy for Sociobiodiversity Products (PGPM-Bio), and potential efficiency gains. Findings revealed a predominance of variable costs, particularly in fruit collection and processing, associated with low productivity efficiency. In 2022, market prices (R$ 0.50/kg for fruits and R$ 26.00/kg for kernels) did not cover production costs, resulting in economic unfeasibility. Scenario analyses showed that while price adjustments in 2023 reduced deficits for fruit, margins became negative again in 2024. For kernels, PGPM-Bio effectively reduced-price asymmetry, ensuring an 8% profit margin. It is concluded that making the Baru chain economically viable requires strategies that integrate technical efficiency—through social technologies, specialization in processing, and productivity improvements—with adequate public policy instruments. Such measures can enhance the chain’s contribution to Cerrado conservation and sociobiodiversity valorization.