Cerrado biodiversity drives economic growth in Goiás

The biodiversity of the Cerrado biome is driving significant economic opportunities in Goiás, Brazil. Native fruits such as pequi, baru, cagaita, araticum, mangaba, buriti, and jatobá are increasingly being integrated into production chains for food, beverages, oils, cosmetics, and other high-value-added products.

Pequi serves as a primary economic driver in the region. In 2023, the state recorded a historic high of 3,700 tons of pequi extracted, representing a 21.8% increase from the previous year. This activity generated R$ 5.65 million, accounting for 37.1% of all vegetable extraction production in Goiás that year.

Ceasa Goiás acts as the nation's largest distribution hub for pequi, handling approximately 80% of the fruit extracted from Goiás, Minas Gerais, Tocantins, and Mato Grosso. During the 2022/2023 harvest, the facility commercialized 6,414 tons of pequi, with an estimated financial turnover of R$ 10.4 million.