This Saturday, the launch event for Exporta Mais Amazônia took place in Rio Branco. The program aims to boost exports of products, compatible with the forest. The Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), chaired by Jorge Viana from Acre, has strived to ensure an increase in Brazilian exports, mainly in the North and Northeast regions, which, despite their enormous potential, are still small-scale.
For Jorge Viana, president of ApexBrasil, it is crucial for Brazil to expand its exports form the Amazon, creating more space for products in line with the forest. Viana emphasized: “It is not acceptable that Bolivia exports 140 million dollars worth of chestnuts while the Amazon exports only 15. It is not acceptable that Vietnam exports 600 million dollars worth of black pepper and Brazil only 100.”
Products compatible with the Amazon forest, such as cocoa, black pepper, açaí and Brazil nuts, represent a market worth around US$200 billion worldwide. However, despite being home to 30% of the planet's tropical forests, the North region contributes less than 0.2% of global exports of these goods.
Source: abrafrutas.org