Market Aspects of non-timber Products in the Economy of Santarem, State of Para, Brazil

ABSTRACT

Semi-structured interviews were carried out with informal vendors and merchants from different sectors in Santarem, State of Para, reporting 107 medicinal products, which represented 14% of all products found, including plants and products of animal origin. The species andiroba (Carapa guianensis Aubl.), copaiba (Copaifera reticulata Ducke) and cumaru (Dipteryx odorata (Aubl) Willd.) are the most wanted products by the local population. The remaining 92 products account for 86% of the total. The sale of handicraft and biojewelry - coming from different places in and out of the state - take place in the city center at specialized stores. The main customers are people from the middle and upper classes who value the rustic form of the handicrafts and their socioeconomic importance for the producing families.

Keywords:
medicinal products; handicraft; bio-jewelry.