Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: MARCOS FERNANDES DOS SANTOS FARIAS

PRODUCTIVE AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE VALUE CHAIN OF CUPUAÇUZERIO IN THE NORTHEAST OF PARAENSE

Agroeconomics, Local Productivity, Economic Indicators

The cupuaçu tree (Teobroma grandiflorum) is considered one of the most important native crops in Amazonian fruit production and in the economy of the state of Pará, generating employment and income for the agricultural and commercial sectors. Between 2003 and 2020, cupuaçu production in Pará showed a dynamic evolution, with a significant increase until 2012, followed by a phase of decline and stabilization. Productivity peaked and fell throughout the period, reflecting cultivation and management conditions. Fruit trade at CEASA-PA, after a period of decline in 2020, showed a marked recovery in 2022, mainly in the sale of pulp. Tomé-Açu emerged as the main supplying hub, consolidating its importance for the cupuaçu market and showing a trend of productive concentration, while other municipalities, such as Moju and Santa Izabel do Pará, received smaller and more volatile contributions. These data highlight both the central role of Tomé-Açu and the importance of sustainable practices and market strategies to sustain the growth of cupuaçu cultivation in the state. The objective of this paper is to analyze the cupuaçu production and economic chain in northeastern Pará. Divided into two chapters, the study begins with an analysis of the market and history of the cupuaçu value chain, both at the national and regional levels, observing the time series of agricultural prices and applying the General Price Index (IGP-DI) of the Getúlio Vargas Foundation to adjust values over time. To assess the geographic concentration of production, the Locational Gini Index (GL) and the Locational Quotient (QL) are used, identifying the centers of productive specialization. The economic analysis is based on data from the Automatic Recovery System (SIDRA) of the IBGE, the Secretariat of Agricultural Development and Fisheries (SEDAP) and the Pará Supply Center (CEASA-PA). The second chapter will address the viability of the cupuaçu production chain in Tomé-Açu, combining the MESMIS methodology, SWOT analysis and Bardin's content analysis for a comprehensive assessment of the system. Interviews will be conducted with rural producers using structured forms containing quantitative and qualitative questions, with the aim of analyzing the marketing structure, costs involved and sales margins at different levels (producer, wholesale and retail). The MESMIS methodology will allow the sustainability of the production system to be assessed in environmental, social and economic terms, while the SWOT analysis will identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the sector. For the qualitative data from the interviews, Bardin's content analysis will be applied, with the support of the Atlas.ti software, enabling the systematic categorization and in-depth interpretation of the information provided by the interviewees. After collecting and organizing the data, the tabulation will be performed in Microsoft Excel and the statistical analyses will be conducted in Statica 8. This approach will allow a better understanding of the challenges and potential of the cupuaçu production chain, providing support for strategies for strengthening and sustainable development in the regional economy.