Comercialização de hortaliças nas feiras do município de Benjamin Constant - Am

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse the process of marketing vegetable species at the markets in the municipality of Benjamin Constant - AM. The survey was carried out at the Covered Market and the Free Market, located in the centre of the municipality. Traders and farmers who sell their products at the public markets in Benjamin Constant took part in the study. The data collection period ran from April to October 2024. In addition to this period, the database of the Alto Solimões Sustainability Development and Advisory Programme (PRODESAS) was analysed, taking into account the months of October to May 2023 to verify the flood period. To gather data on the commercialisation of vegetables, an interview form with 17 questions was used, supplemented by direct observation and recording in a field notebook and photograph. The data was tabulated in an Excel spreadsheet and analysed using descriptive statistics to produce graphs and tables. The results showed the identification of 26 vegetable species during the flood period and 36 species during the dry season, grouped into the categories tuberous vegetable, herbaceous vegetable and fruit vegetable, the latter being the most recurrent. The vegetables are marketed in five different ways, with the tied form being the most used by the vendors. The analysis showed that thirteen agents are directly and indirectly involved in selling vegetables. The research revealed that farmers experience difficulties during the commercialisation process, including a lack of infrastructure at the fairs, problems arising from the seasonality of the rivers and the value of the products. In this way, the analysis has contributed to a better understanding of the structure of the supply of vegetables in the region, and can subsidise initiatives to promote the valorisation of agricultural diversity and the strengthening of fairs as spaces for access to fresh and varied food.