Families in the Novo Horizonte community harvest cocoa during the amazonian winter

In the middle of the Amazonian winter, a period of intense rainfall in the region, 12 families from the Novo Horizonte community, on the banks of the Juruá River in Amazonas, are dedicated to harvesting wild cocoa. So far, approximately 6,300 fruits have been collected, which should result in about 150 kilos of processed beans within the community itself.

This year, the production comes exclusively from fruits grown in agroforestry systems (SAFs), resulting from the regeneration of degraded areas, conducted by SOS Amazônia. Wild cocoa, native to the region, did not yield a significant harvest due to natural fluctuations in forest development.

With the Juruá River flooding and the occurrence of flooded areas, producers travel by canoe to the cultivation areas. The work requires extra effort: it is necessary to drag boats across stretches of dry land, deal with the mud during the dry season, and overcome other difficulties imposed by the rainy season. After the harvest, the process continues with the breaking of the fruits, selection of the almonds, and fermentation.

The cocoa production chain, whether native or cultivated, represents an important source of income for extractive families, strengthening a commercial arrangement that involves different stages until the final sale. However, according to producer Osmir Andriola, the current market scenario is challenging.

He criticizes the competition from imported products that enter the country with low taxation, which puts pressure on the prices of the local product and makes it difficult to cover production costs. Even so, Osmir emphasizes that this year's harvest already has a defined market. "Our cocoa is different," says the producer.

SOS Amazônia is a partner of the Novo Horizonte community, offering technical assistance and support in the implementation of agroforestry systems. For Osmir, the NGO's work was fundamental in strengthening production and generating sustainable economic alternatives. He emphasizes that the initiative demonstrates, in practice, that riverside families can obtain income from forest products at different times of the year.

The potential of cocoa had already been identified by the institution in 2015, through the Amazon Values ​​project. The initiative sought to structure and integrate value chains of non-timber forest products, such as wild cocoa, native rubber, and vegetable oils, supporting various families in strengthening their productive activities.