Abstract Extractivism of pequi (Caryocar brasiliense) fruit represents an economic opportunity for rural communities of Brazil despite the lack of research on its production chain. This study aims to characterize the commercialization of pequi fruit in municipalities of the state of Minas Gerais and identify public policies that strengthen its production chain in order to support its use for generating income within rural communities. Information was obtained through searches on official sites, published literature and other documents, and through semi-structured and open interviews held in 39 commercial establishments and in five restaurants. Between 2003 and 2011, the national production and the price of one tonne of pequi has risen from 42% to 209%. Sales of pequi by the Centrais de Abastecimento de Minas Gerais S.A. (CeasaMinas) of Greater Belo Horizonte, Brazil, has risen 113% between 2010 and 2014. The results indicate the feasibility of pequi extractivism for a quilombola community.

ABSTRACT The Brazilian Cerrado, a global biodiversity hotspot, has been widely converted by agricultural expansion and pasture establishment. As a result of these activities, several plant species have experienced population declines such as pequi (Caryocar brasiliense ). We analyzed the feasibility of economic use of C. brasiliense based on population structure and fruit productivity. The average fruit production was high and significantly different between 2013 (515 fruits ind-1) and 2014 (344 fruits ind-1) (t = 2.32, p < 0.01), with 33% less fruit production in 2014. The canopy area (r2 = 0.22, p < 0.05) was the only population parameter related to productivity (2013). One hectare may yield an average of one ton of complete fruits, which is equivalent to up to 16 liters of pulp oil. The family income obtained with oil pulp sale could up to R$ 1,080 (US$ 327). We support the hypothesis that high pequi fruit productivity makes the extraction of this resource viable, especially for giant earthworm extractors.