BRAZIL NUTS ( Bertholletia excelsa HBK)

The Brazil nut tree, one of the largest in the Amazon forest, provides significant seasonal income for traditional and Indigenous peoples across various regions in the Amazon. The Brazil nut has high nutritional value, is rich in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium, and has a relatively high selenium content, the main constituent of antioxidant enzymes. Brazil nut trees take around 15 years to start producing nuts. With few exceptions, the annual crop is primarily collected from natural groves in the forest. Brazil nuts have a well-established export market with significant potential for growth (SILVA JÚNIOR, 2016).

PRODUCTS AND SUB-PRODUCTS

Brazil nuts: Brazil nuts are an essential component of mixed nuts and are widely used as an ingredient in candies.

Brazil nut oil: A clear, yellowish oil with a light texture. The oil is used in a variety of high-end skincare products.

Brazil nut wood: Although Brazil nut wood is of high quality, it is illegal to cut down Brazil nut trees for timber in Brazil.

CURRENT MARKET SIZE

In 2020, the total global production of Brazil nuts was approximately 70,961 metric tons, sourced from three Amazon region countries: Brazil (33,118 mt), Bolívia (30,843 mt) and Peru (7,000 mt). The total value of Brazilian production was R$98,551,000 in 2020. In 2021, Brazil's indices remained at 33,733 (mt), Bolivia had a slight increase, going to 33,148 (mt), and Peru had a slight decline falling to 6,913 (mt). This year, the world's production was 73,795 mt.

The largest national Brazil nut producer is the State of Amazonas, reaching 11,737 mt in 2021 (with a value of approximately BRL 50,518.84), followed by the State of Acre with 9800 mt. The State of Pará, accounting for 18% of the total, produced 5,900 mt, the third-largest output in the country. Of all the Brazil nuts produced in Brazilian territory, around 20% of Brazilian nut production is destined for the foreign market. The State of Acre is the leading exporting state, responsible for 65% of the nuts exported in 2021, followed by the State of Pará, with 19%.

In 2022, Brazilian production of Brazil nuts in shell was estimated at approximately 34.700 tons, around 4% higher than that obtained in the previous year. The production was distributed between the states of Acre, Amazonas, Amapá, Mato Grosso, Pará, Rondônia, and Roraima, with the states of Acre, Amazonas, and Pará accounting for around 80% of the volume produced. Amazonas contributed the largest share of production, 12,213 tons, followed by Acre with 10,049 tons and Pará with 7,466 (CONAB, 2023).

PROJECTED FUTURE MARKET SIZE

While global consumption of nuts grows at an annual rate of 7%, the national production of Brazil nuts has remained stagnant. In recent years, exports of Brazil nuts have declined from around 70% of national production to only 20%, reflecting increased consumption in the domestic market. This shift to the domestic market is partly due to the presence of aflatoxins, which have largely closed the European market to Brazilian Brazil nuts (CONAB, 2022; INTERELOS, 2022).

VOLUMES SOLD/CONSUMED

The total value of Brazil nuts with shell exports from the Amazon is USD 12 million, and USD 16 million for Brazil nuts without shells. Exports to the global market totaled 24 million (with shell) and 364 million (without shell) from 2017-2019. Exports are predominantly unshelled Brazil nuts. The main destinations for Brazil nuts in shell are Peru (38%) and Bolivia (16%) (AMAZÔNIA2030, 2021).

PRICE TREND

The average price paid to the producers was R$5.4/kg in May 2022 (approximately USD 1.07 - according to the exchange rate at the time) and ranged between R$2.0 to 4.40/kg in January 2023 (approximately USD 0.36 to 0.80 - according to the exchange rate at the time). The retail price range for the US of Brazil nuts in 2024  is between US$ 3.82 and US$ 4.78 per kilogram or between US$ 1.73 and US$ 2.17 per pound(lb). US-Brazil nuts' approximate wholesale price range is between US$ 2.68 and US$ 3.34 per kilogram or US$ 1.21 and US$ 1.52 per pound(lb). 

HISTORY

Mature Brazil nut trees grow almost exclusively in primary forests and as remnants in degraded forests and pastures. Brazil nut trees, among the tallest tree species in the forest, can live for up to 800 years and reach 60m in height and 3 m in diameter. Brazil nut trees grow in groves called castanhais, which are thought to be evidence of indigenous forest management practices, often involving planting seeds of important tree species in abandoned swiddens. Local landowners and traders have controlled Brazil nut groves for much of the last few centuries. The collection and sale of Brazil nuts were organized in the traditional paternalistic system, known as the aviamento system, a system of debt peonage In which many local Indigenous and traditional peoples through which local traders and landowners controlled labor and organized the collection and extraction of the forest products that sustained the Amazon economy. During the 20th century, a significant proportion of the Brazil nut trade in Brazil was controlled by a single family. With the expansion of the agricultural frontier and associated deforestation from the mid-20th century on, many significant Brazil nut groves in the eastern and southern portions of the basin were destroyed, and the land converted to pasture. While the government prohibited the felling of Brazil nut trees and the sale of Brazil nut wood to stop this destruction, these efforts were only partially effective. The Castanha do Pará is now called the Castanha do Brasil, and the main Brazil nut-producing areas today are in the western and southwestern portions of the basin. With the significant increase in the number and total area of Indigenous Territories and Extractive reserves in the last few decades, much of the remaining area of Brazil nut groves is now protected in reserves, and community associations and cooperatives have taken over responsibility for managing groves and collecting and processing Brazil nuts.

PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENT: AGROFORESTRY, WILD HARVESTING, PLANTING

Because Brazil nut trees take an average of 15 years to begin producing, there have been very few efforts to cultivate Brazil nut trees. However, they can be a promising species for certain kinds of agroforestry systems. For example, in the RECCA project in western Rondônia, colonists developed agroforestry systems that included Brazil nut trees, cupuaçu, and pupunha, among other species. Planting of Brazil nut trees has been encouraged as an agroforestry component in reforestation programs. Brazil nut trees are also included in integrated forestry consortiums (CFI) with andiroba and ipê. While much more is needed, considerable research and innovation are seeking to improve management systems as well as develop technology for harvesting, processing, and marketing Brazil nuts (COSTA et al., 2009; EMBRAPA, 2022).

TERM OF MATURITY

Brazil nut trees reach heights of 30 to 50 meters and diameters of 1 to 2 meters or more. Their fruit takes over a year to mature, averaging 2 kg in weight and containing between 8 and 24 seeds. Brazil nut collection occurs during the rainy season, between December and June, when the nut pods mature and fall to the ground (WWF-Brasil, 2022; BEGIATO, MENEGHINI, 2013).

PRODUCER PROFILE AND SOCIAL IMPACTS

Since the rise of the Rubber Tappers and Forest Peoples Movements in the 1980s, cooperatives and community associations' size and organizational capacity have greatly improved. Today, in Acre and other areas, most Brazil nut groves are managed through these local organizations. They are developing new products and innovative solutions in processing and packaging to increase the value of Brazil nuts and eliminate sanitary issues such as aflatoxins.

CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS

CREDIT/CARBON SEQUESTRATION POTENTIAL

Brazil nut trees are one of the largest trees in the forest and are used in reforestation schemes. Therefore, they could be relevant in sequestering carbon (EMBRAPA, 2022).

IMPORT/EXPORT TARIFFS AND COMPLIANCE

Brazil nuts are GRAS compliant in the US (widely sold for consumption) and have strict import restrictions in Europe and the US regarding above acceptable concentrations of aflatoxin. Tariffs are 0% in the US and EU but 30% in Korea (VIEIRA et al., 2022; CNA,2021).

RELEVANT INDUSTRIES

Food: Brazil nuts are used as ingredients in processed foods such as chocolate bars/cereals, cakes, biscuits, nut mixes, snacks (appetizers with dried and salted nuts), porridge, and biscuits). health and health foods and consumed in trail mixes with dried fruit and grains and included in Kosher diets, and exported to Israel.

Cosmetics: Brazil nuts are also used in the cosmetics industry (presence of selenium, an antioxidant element) (CONAB, 2022; BEGIATO, MENEGHINI, 2013)

Retailers

REGULATORY INFORMATION

Inci name: Bertholletia excelsa seed oil

Harmonized System Code: 1515.90

EINECS No: 310-127-6

number: 356065-50-4