Aspectos produtivos e desafios do umbuzeiro no seridó oriental

Abstract

Spondias tuberosa Arruda Cam, popularly known as umbuzeiro, is a fruit tree that adapts well to the drier areas of the Northeast of the country. Its fruit, known as umbu, offers several possibilities for consumption, ranging from fresh consumption to the preparation of sweets, jellies, drinks and liqueurs. Umbu is being more accepted by consumers, both locally and internationally, due to its sensory characteristics, its value as a source of bioactive compounds and its high antioxidant potential. However, despite its resilience and versatility, the sustainable exploitation of umbuzeiro still faces numerous challenges in Brazil, and with this, greater visibility of this culture becomes necessary. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the productive aspects, as well as the challenges of umbuzeiro cultivation in the period 2002-2022, in the municipality of Picuí-PB, western Seridó region of Paraíba. This study was conducted using a qualitative approach, employing descriptive analysis and indirect documentation techniques, configuring itself as a narrative literature review. We used works published in national and international magazines, with website databases and through different digital libraries, using different descriptors, such as “Umbu”, “Umbuzeiro” and “Spondias tuberosa Arruda”. Seeking a more local focus for the municipality of Picuí, data from the Municipal Agricultural Research information bank, made available by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), were analyzed. The Automatic Recovery System (SIDRA) was used to extract information pertinent to the quantity produced and value of production in plant extraction. The results indicate that umbu production in Picuí, as well as at national and state levels, reveals a reality of significant variation over time. Furthermore, although the years 2020, 2021 and 2022 stood out positively in terms of quantity produced and production value in plant extraction, challenges persist, especially in the context of climate change and socioeconomic pressures.