A PROFILE OF PALM HEART EXTRACTION IN THE AMAZON ESTUARY

Many of the processed palm hearts consumed throughout the world are de rived from the acai palm (Euterpe oleracea Mart.), which grows abundan tly in floodplain forests of the Amazon estuary. Palm heart extraction began in the estuary in the 1970s and there are now hundreds of canni ng factories and some 50 distribution firms in this region. Annual pro fits of the canning factories range from $30,000 to $50,000 while prof its for distribution firms frequently exceed $500,000/year. But there are several indications that this economic boon will be short-lived: f actory closings are frequent, palm hearts are much smaller now than in the past and mortality of palm trees is high in stands subjected to f requent palm heart harvest. However the acai palm is well suited for m anagement because of its abundance, rapid growth, and multistemmed lif e form. Under management, palm hearts can be harvested from the same c lump over many years through controlled thinning. The management of ac ai stands could result in significant long-term savings for palm heart factories. Indeed, acai management may offer one of the best opportun ities to date for sustained use of some Amazonian forests.