Value chain dynamics, opportunities, and constraints shaping Baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) commercialisation in the Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract

The nut of the Baru tree (Dipteryx alata Vogel), native to Brazil’s Cerrado, has gained attention for its strong nutritional profile and growing market potential. At the same time, the Cerrado faces increasing deforestation driven by agricultural expansion. In this context, Baru is considered a promising sustainable land-use option within forest-based bioeconomy strategies. This study examines the Baru value chain in a key commercialisation hub, focusing on actor interactions, financial dynamics, institutional conditions, and major constraints. The value chain analysis draws on interviews with 29 value chain actors and 16 institutional stakeholders. Results show a fragmented and largely informal value chain. Numerous upstream actors – Baru gatherers and pre-processors – supply both informal markets and a small group of formal downstream actors that dominate exports. Although prices rise significantly along the chain, profits are concentrated downstream. Activities early in the chain often become unprofitable when labour opportunity costs are considered. Key constraints include informality, unstable markets, limited access to time-saving processing technologies, and low awareness of public support programs. Despite these challenges, Baru remains an important income source for many upstream actors. Rising international demand – reinforced by Baru’s recent approval as a Novel Food in the EU – creates further market opportunities, especially in health- and sustainability-oriented segments. Strengthening upstream returns as well as cooperatives, enhancing institutional alignment with the realities faced by gatherers, and integrating Baru into diversified production systems are critical to realizing its potential as a model non-timber forest products within a sustainable Cerrado bioeconomy.