Feira do Açaí

Lore & Background

The fair operates in the early hours of the morning, with the unloading of tons of açaí distributed in straw baskets taken from boats nicknamed 'pô-pô-pô' that anchor there, negotiated in the old supply/demand style. From there, açaí is processed in the neighborhoods of the capital city. The place offers tourists the sight of porters and vendors with pots full of fruit. The fair also contains bars and is located near the Feliz Lusitânia complex.

Reader's Guide

The Feira do Açaí is significant as a key node in the supply chain of açaí, a fruit with deep impact on the region's population—consumption in liters is twice as high as milk consumption. The state of Pará produces about 820,000 tons of açaí per year (85% of national production), with 60% consumed locally, 30% sent to other Brazilian states, and 10% exported. The fair is part of the architectural and landscape complex of Ver-o-Peso, listed by IPHAN in 1977, covering 35,000 square meters. In 2022, Michel Pinho, president of the Cultural Foundation of Belém, stated that the city was going through a rescue of cultures and the return of local musical tradition, with the fair resuming carimbó, samba, and projects like 'carimbó no caroço' and 'fé no batuque'.

Did You Know?

• Açaí consumption in the region is twice as high as milk consumption, measured in liters.
• The fair supplies the city via river from 42 islands in the insular area of Belém.
• The state of Pará produces 90-95% of Brazil's açaí, about 1.3 million tons per year.
• The fair is part of the Ver-o-Peso Complex, listed by IPHAN in 1977.