How 40,000 Tons Of Brazil Nuts Are Collected Deep In The Amazon Rainforest | Big Business
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- Опубліковано 9 лип 2022
- Brazil nuts are one of the most sustainable nuts. They're not grown on farms. They're collected in the rainforest after they drop naturally off wild trees. While the nuts support Indigenous tribes' livelihoods, collectors have a tough job. They have to hike deep into the jungle, avoiding deadly falling nuts and wildlife, all to haul 100-pound loads back out. And now their industry is at risk because of low prices for their nuts and illegal clear-cutting of the rainforest. We visit the Apiaká tribe in Mato Grosso, Brazil, to see how they're using Brazil nuts as a weapon against deforestation.
Editor's Note: At 0:37, 4:06, and 4:59, this video incorrectly used tons instead of kilos as a unit of measurement. At 6:11, this video also incorrectly stated that Brazil nuts are one of the cheapest nuts. Insider regrets the errors.
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How 40,000 Tons Of Brazil Nuts Are Collected Deep In The Amazon Rainforest | Big Business
I used to think I was doing a negative thing by buying Brazil nuts. Now I see I’m helping a industry and community and a forest. I hope the Amazon continues to prosper for centuries to come
Bolsonaro 2026
4:59 Correction: is not $1.64 per ton is $1.64 per kilo
Thank you so much. If it was per ton the whole industry would be pulling in like $500 per season
@@drew899 lol
It was so weird hearing the narrator justify the $1.64 per ton because it was a 2000% increase from the insanely low $0.006 when it was just an extra $1.58 lol
@@drew899 Wikipedia says yearly harvest is ~70k tons so $4200, but yeah, ridiculous. Especially considering they said it supports 60k families. It would mean each *family* is living off a penny every 2 months.
She said it more than once that wrong conversion. Damn Americans
Just to correct one information: The guy there said it was 8 reais per kg, that means $ 1,64 per kg or $ 1640,00 per ton. Maybe it was a slight mistake in translation? I'm Brazilian, btw, so THANK YOU SO MUCH Business Insider for bringing up such situations in our country, like the nuts and açaí. It happens everywhere here, and it's amazing to see someone bringing it to sunlight once again.
Just wanted to say the same. Nobody would work in Brazil for 1,64 USD per ton of harvested nuts.
I was just thinking this. Thanks for the clarification.
Also according to the subtitles the factory processes 370 MILLION tons of Brazil nuts a year in comparison to the 370 tons the narrator is talking about
@@dominicvollath209 I think it's 370 Million pounds but this is great information.
Narrator : Kg /Closed caption :Ton 😵
Whoever made the conversions between weights and currencies screw up at 4:55. The local says 8 reais per kilogram and the narrator says $1.64 a ton. The more accurate conversion would be $3.61 dolars per pound of Brazil nut.
6 cents a ton they mention earlier in the video is almost certainly incorrect as well -- wikipedia states the entire yearly harvest is 70k tons -- at 6 cents per ton, it would mean the entirely yearly global harvest was... $4200. And supposedly *60,000* families shared/were supported by that. In other words, that would mean each family's *yearly* income from doing this was.... 7 cents, or about a penny every 2 months. I'm not sure what the point would even be if that was remotely accurate.
I was about to make this comment as well. 8 Brazilian Real is 1.52 USD.
What are units even?
Right! I was sure the narrator doesn't understand what a TON means.
Then at 00:04:58 the narrator mentions that they sell the nuts for $1.64 a TON. Then at 00:06:24 the narrator said that the processing plant processes 370 TONS a year. That means that their cooperative's gross income would be only $607 annually.
That statement made me pause the video and look for a comment such as this
Who would work if the price is still that low?
Quick correction at 4:57": BRL 8 = 1 kilo which is USD 1.64 = 2 pounds approx; and NOT a ton, as mentioned in the video. Amazing content anyways. Loved it! 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🌍🌍🌍
yeah, USD 1.64 per ton is just impossible
Now it makes sense
@@karatas1782 heheheh right? Hhehehe
O que me pegou foi o final falando que a produção poderia dar motivos para evitar o desmatamento. Meio viagem, mas beleza.
Yeah I was wondering about that.
I’m from Brazil and have identified an error of translation at 4:57 . They sell for $1,64 a kilogram (2,2 pounds), not $1,64 a ton. Peace ✌🏻
that sounds more reasonable. idk how they can sustain themselves if theyre selling at 1.64 per ton
FYI: Brazil nuts contain the highest concentration of selenium on the planet and its recommended to eat 1-3 a day.
and penis too
Wow! And here in Sydney Australia I pay like $60-70 per kg!
Is just bad math! Hehe cost of raw material is Aboud USD 1600 per ton. Raw material including the shell of the kernel. The high humidity and non exportable kernels.
Wow, here in Brazil is between 80 and 120 brl/kg.
yea $2 per ton is crazy
Where you going $60 kg, there like $11 for a 500g packet. Stop exaggerating
@@man.i.literally.failed6772 coles! Loose nut
Seeing that big tree come down just broke my heart
Same
thats where ipe comes from one of the most durable woods on the planet the fastest wooden rollercoasters use it extensively
So stop buying it.
How do you survive if something like that bothers you? I’m being serious, what happen when you have an actual problem.
Most likely you’re either living in a cave out in the open because extraction to produce cement and steel does more damage than deforestation for plantation trees that are farmed to build houses
Was trying to figure out how the seeds would naturally spread... It's a hard shelled object inside ANOTHER hard shelled object. Apparently Brazil has something that looks like a 13 pound tail-less squirrel that does the whole "acorn" thing with these guys. That's wild.
Imagine that the rodent hides the nut by burying it not too deep underground and then imagine the rain and moisture in the jungle works it miracles to soften the hard shell overtime and then finally imagine new bunch of Brazilian nut sprouts🌱 coming out of hiding 😁
Are there Brazil nut trees outside of Brazil and the Amazon forest?
I remember those nuts from my childhood in their shells in the early 70's. They were known by a very derogatory name I won't repeat but were very good I thought. I always wondered where they came from. Thanks for showing me this!
Neggro toes lol,ya things were super racist not so long ago and we all had thicker skin
Was the name monkey nutz
@@chrissmith9798 that's the one. Lol
@@chrissmith9798
Thanks. I was curious what he meant
Yes I know that horrible name to but in my case I still hear it sad.
I have always loved these nuts, and treasured eating them when I could and still can. I am grateful for those who do these jobs down there in comparison to other farming foraging/homesteading life. Growing up seeing these specials in the nut mixes disappear over the 90's - Thanks for the explanation of why they disappeared. All food is valued, question is how much.
You love these nuts? 😂😂😂👏 Just kidding🙏. I Love Brazil Nuts too. High in fibre and packed with vitamins 😀
@@damianlopez7630 Toxic levels of selenium though. 2 nuts gives you ~200mcg, the optimal intake. 10 nuts is enough to increase your mortality 30% above optimal. It's ridiculous how much selenium these nuts absorb, there's nothing else like it. I wonder what they do with it all. Probably healthier than most diets anyways but I'm sticking to walnuts and supplementing selenium.
My niece is so allergic to these nuts, that if someone eats them and then touches any of the furniture- - she will have a severe reaction if she touches those places!!
@@damianlopez7630 Here’s an effective way to get resilient trees to grow in the rainforest in areas where it has been deforested release all the captive monkeys parrots and taiprs Put together because their business contain seeds That grow trees
Wow, amazing information. Thanks for sharing. Simple things we often take for granted actually effect so many people and our eco system. I am glad to hear they were able to get more than 6 cents and raise that price more than 100%. That is business, always look for ways to be better/ to survive in the business world. 🌎 🌍
It was 1000%
$0.06/ton to $1.64/ton = over 2,000% increase WOW 😳😲😳
Narrator mentioned “Hispanic Brazil” Brazil’s official language is Portuguese. There are no regions where Spanish is spoken. She is Clearly reading from a script or making up terms along the way.
Brazil nuts are one of the best dietary sources of selenium. I pay about $22 per kilo.
Yes 👍 keeping hair and nails healthy
Very good for the thyroid gland
2 pcs have enough selenium for a day
Yessss! Sounds like a fair price
where the hell you get a kilo for 22$? are you brazilian?
I love Brazilian nuts, but they are so expensive here in Australia. my heart aches when I see the trees fall
It hurt seeing the big old tree fall.
Everything's pricey in Straya. I nearly have a heart attack every time I see what you guys have to pay for video games.
Me too.
They're always my favorite of the mix, I love the crunchy texture.
Marketing is KEY!! It wasn’t until recently that I knew how much of a Superfood this nut was! They should market it as a SuperFood with nutritional info on the package and advertising ! The marketing could be specified to infertility clinics - as it helps in that area… or people with thyroid issues … etc.
Thank you for the is video. It was enlightening!😊
'Brazil nuts are some of the cheapest nuts'
Ehhh... You mean most expensive, right? They are among the most expensive ones in Europe
They start at 20 dollars / kg in my country
@@Djellowman in nederland zijn ze duurder door de reiskosten etc. In brazillie zijn ze blijkbaar een stuk goedkoper, wat best logisch is aangezien ze zo dicht bij de plaats van productie wonen
Might be referring to locally. Brazil nuts are probably much cheaper in South America.
That's just a silly remark then, as almost everything is cheaper in the country of production
Correct. Thing is, they did bad math and think the cost of raw material is USD 1.65 per ton. Which in reality is USD 1650 per ton. Just bad math.
So let's just buy a ton of brazil nuts to eat lmao, I'm doing my part 🌳🌲💚😋😋
Yessss
Finally something I’m familiar with, not that agar wood isn’t fascinating or anything
they're absolutely delicious. i appreciate it even more now.
Hello business insiders. Please correct the video, there is bad math during the translation. The guy said 8 reales per kilo (USD 1.50 per kilo) and then the video says "USD 1.65 a ton" which is just bad math. 8 Brazilian reales per kilo equals to USD 1500 per ton. Which is market price. Likewise, the video says the price used to be 6 cents per ton! Which can't be right! I assume you meant to say 6 cents per kilo maybe? Do note, 1 ton equals to 1000 kilos. Please correct the math! This makes it sound as if the raw material is worthless. In reality is very expensive! I work in the industry and can't share this beautiful video if the math is wrong. =(
I was like,... 1.65 per ton? Somebody blew it with this "math".
@@danielcartwright6545 thanks for noting. I had to re listen to the audio 3 times to make sure. Thing is USA don't use kilos, they use pounds.
!!!!!!! True
Yesss
also u say the factory handles 370 tons, but CC says 370 million tons. which one is it?
Hard working people. God bless all of there family's. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the correction on the comments, i was about to comment that it's the worst exploitation of human kind ever. I still believe that the primary sector of these industries can still come together, organise and actually be the ones controlling the prices of their products. They are the ones who are always getting less.
Interesting, but the most interesting question was left unanswered: why can't Brazil nuts be farmed like other nuts?
It can… but is hard. There are some successful plantations in Africa, I guess.
The tree is prone to die while still young.
It takes at least 8 years to start bearing pods, and a good production takes about 12 years (long story short, if you buy a huge piece of land and want your investment back , soy, corn or cattle are better choices).
The final problem is the polinization of the flower. Only a few natives bees can do it. (I don’t know how the get it done in Africa. But I guess they rely on Bumblebees).
In the video, they mentioned the tree needs the coolness of the Amazon to survive. So I'm guessing it needs other trees around it to grow. Then it needs that special bee too.
sürdürülebilir olması önemli.keşke meyve toplayabilen drone üretilse.ağaçlar kesilmeden ürün vermeye devam ederdi
wow, i never knew where they grew and how the plants look :)
thanks for this! greetings from germany
Hats off to you Antonio.
Wow, finally consumption can equal eco-protection! I do like a brazil nut. I was a little incensed at the two (paraphrased) comments in the film "insultingly low price per tonne" and "brazil nuts are so cheap they're used as filler"
I love them i had no idea they come inside something that resembles a coco. Bravo!
Wow! Thos Orchid Bees that pollinate the Brazil Nut trees are amazing! Love their iridescent green color :O
My parents used to buy these for us when I was a kid. I LOVED cracking and eating these. I had NO idea what they were!!!
I support, encourage and respect any effort to make a living. Proud living. They are not robbed anyone. Viva ! your little industry.
I worked for a nut importer here in the Netherlands and yes, Germany and the Netherlands are the biggest buyers of the brasilnuts but most of it is just for resale throughtout the rest of europe. Much of the imported volume will go to other countries like the UK, France, Italy etc.
Could i contact you for brazil nut business?
@@azeem6244 Worked … that was almost 10 years ago, not in that industry any more and they bought most through trading companies like Catz international.
@@PM_82 ohh i see...allright👌🏻
Finally a video i can understand clearly and without subtitles, hearing the speakers' intonations
Those but hulls/husks/shells would be great after being broken down in compost, to use as mulch, maybe mixed with clay to make bricks or the like. So interesting 🤔 Destroying trees is UNACCEPTABLE and ignorant. We have similar ignorance in our country too. It's 2022, there's plenty of wood being tossed into landfills - it can be recycled cutting down trees isn't necessary. Thank you Brazil nut folks for your work and working sustainably - you can teach others so much.
Thanks to all those people who are putting their lives on the line to gather these nuts. I pray God watches over them.
Thank you for sharing.
O vídeo que eu pedi saiu 💜.
There is a mistake in the pricing, its 2 dolar per kilo
0:16 "We have been working with *deez nuts* since 1800s"
Eiiita video do brasil de novo !
Wow I never knew anything about Brazil nuts. I thought they were storing them in coconuts LOL Great documentary!
Because they are foraged and not farmed, they are 100% organic.
Brazil nuts have always been my favorite in the mixed nuts can. And still in shells they are fun to crack
From 🇸🇬 Singapore. With conservation and better idea of sustainability with a balance to tribal livelihood, a good possibility would be to find ways to plant newer trees that may mature many years later and plan for the future. I hope research into caring for existing trees to prevent pest from destroying existing trees and also controlling the various ways the forest and its bio diversity is kept the same as much as possible. Controlling much of the inancially and politically motivated deforestation. I know it's easier said than done, But small moves may mean great investments for the future. God Bless.
They don't plant them, the agouti does
@@snowmiaow cutia é elegante
I really hope we could save these nuts and the industry we lose so much because of deforesstation not just an industry but every thing that does with losing the amazon
This is excellent reporting.
I love Brazil nuts. Super video. Good luck for the group🕊️
I think its the best nut out there in this old world so I hope they keep growing in that beautiful tree
They're going to have to leave forest around the trees or the trees will die in about 15 years. Horrible.
I am from southern part of Indian state Kerala . I am living near the rain forest area . I remember that there was plenty of this trees in our land but that time we did't have any idea this nut was edible we thought this nuts only for oil extractions.
There are no Brazil Nut trees outside of the Amazon. They're pollinated by an orchid bee that only inhabits the Amazon, and these trees do not grow outside the rainforest setting and have never been grown in plantations. That was a different tree.
They work hard 😓 those nuts are not expensive enough . I wish them the best of success
they are more expencive for brazilian's than for americans , they are only cheaper if you live in the amazon maybe
Imagine we had tribes living in the European forests, their lives depending on picking wild mushrooms or wild berries and selling them to city people. What a wild thought!
While not tribes, people do indeed hand-pick wild mushrooms and wild berries to sell in the cities here in Europe.
@@outisnemo8443 I know, I'm European. My meaning is that there are no 'tribes' that rely on gathering wild produce for their subsistence.
I can’t really eat them anymore, but when I did Brazil nuts were always my favorite!
2:15
“When the rodent has a bad memory then you will have a new tree. When the rodent gets eaten by a jaguar then you will have a new tree” 🤣
mas também. 6 centavos o quilo? esses atravessadores estão bem demais na vida!
Just bought a bag at the store. Im geateful for everyone involved in getting me this bag truly ifnyou think about it appreciation …
If you're intersted, Açaí is another product that needs the forest alive to produce. Is a fruit, often eaten as frozen
Ainda bem que descobriram o valor dela antes que fosse tarde demais.....essas árvores levam décadas para darem frutos ,muita sacanagem derrubar todas que tenha no mesmo local para outros fins.
Agora se precisa derrubar uma ou duas porque está atrapalhando algum projeto que seria mais valioso ok.
Mas todos o território que tenha ela ,é loucura mesmo.
Melhor e procurar estudar o fruto para saber se compensa ou não mantê, e provavelmente foram isso que fizeram e descobriram o quanto ela e nutricional para saúde.
40,000 tons of Brazil nuts?! Wow, thats like 5 nuts!
This video has so many mistakes... They sell a kilo of the nut for 8 BRL (or 1.52 USD in today's rate), not a ton. A ton of the nuts would cost $1,520 USD (or 8,000 BRL). That's how much tej cooperatives make. Then exporters are currently charging between $6,100 to $6,400 USD the ton, making this a very expensive nut. Too bad the gross of the money doesn't stay with the families that gather the nuts.
I thought something isn’t right too. 1.52/ton, no wonder why they burn down the forest instead.
Yes! Actually, 2/3 of the cost of production goes into buying the raw material, hence indeed most of the money is handed to the collectors.
exactly!
"Your down there, one of the seeds fall on u... Ur DEAD!" . The Amazon seed lol
Soo sad....if we carry like this we will have no rainforest left
Great video
such a lot of work for that delightful treat
Oh wow! I did not know that all Brazil nuts were hand picked! That explains why there’s only like 2 or 3 nuts in the thing
Title: “where do Brazil nuts really come from?”
Me: Brazil
$3.61 per ton is outrageous! They should get that PER kilo!!
But is per kilo
@@otavioluis5774 Yes, the english voice and text are incorrect, the translation from the local language is correct, they get 8 reaal per kg, so around 1,63 usd kg , shelled kernels marketprice is around between 4 and 16 usd per kg, it much fluctuates on demand.
@@PM_82 As a native i miss the time our currency was in R$1 to 1 usd.
Video did bad math. Just that
So basically if the price of one Kilogramm is 1.64 USD and here in the supermarket it sells for 3.84 USD for 200 Gramm. That's about 10 times the profit. Yes, there is processing, packing, shipping. They still get 5 times more.
No wonder BRAZIL nuts are expensive bcz of tough and super hard process ..salute to those people working behind processing these nuts you are deserve to be bless by God on your hardwork
You see first hand the power of the Brazilian logging company!
As the saying goes: One person's Trash is another's Treasure. Back in my hometown in the Amazon those Nuts used to litter some people's yards until they found out that foreigners would pay a pretty penny for it 😂
Yum.
Great video, thanks, it'd be nice of Business Insider though to correct their mistake in 4:04.
Nice
Stop tree cutting....save amazon.......save amazon save earth
One of my favorite nuts!!
"I cut my finger " 😭😭😭
I HEARD THAT TOO. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT BAG HE WAS WORKING ON.
I don't know if these nuts grow only in brazil but I think I've seen similiar ones, they're very hard to crack, sometimes requiring a hard rock and brute force, if you hit it harder than needed not only the shell but also the nut inside will also get destroyed. they tasted pretty good eaten raw though, also comes from trees. I think its the same one.
CMIIW
Yeah, they only grow in Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia, but mostly Brazil, as shown on the map at time 1:24. And, yeah, they seem to be the hardest nuts to crack. Irregular shape doesn't help.
സൂപ്പർ
I am now dedicated to buying more Brazil nuts! I already ate them for their selenium!
Nice video.
Yes but where are Brazil nuts from?
Brazilian daddies.
Saudi Arabia
My full support to the Amazon preservation, prevent deforestation with all possible ways, fight with tooth and nail. even if it take military action to stop deforestation do it.
"Military action" Brasil beat them all
8:30 it seems as tho his desktop is powered by the brazil nut seed pod!
I maybe be off on nuts pricing but in the part of Brazil that I live, Brazil Nuts (Castanha-do-pará) are the most expensive type of nut
Yeah I was like not where I live, they are expensive
Brazil nuts are the best nuts hands down.
I don't get the point of your comment.
Are they the best nuts, Really? Have you tasted:
Walnut
Hazelnut
Pistachio nut
Peanut
Cajun nuts
Etc
@@SERGIO-cr6uy lol yes, for me Brazil nuts have been at the top of the list. As a kid when my mom bought nut mixes I would eat the few Brazil nuts they had in the jar first then worked on peanuts and everything else besides cashews. I hate cashews.
@@Lorry1094
Do you prefer them because it's a national product or coz of the taste?
You can't say that Brazilian nuts taste better than Pistachios, Hazelnuts, peanuts..
@@SERGIO-cr6uy American here so it’s not a national product. Almonds are more national where I’m from. it’s more of a texture thing. They have a taste and texture I prefer more than most nuts but they are very expensive.
Good.
I pay 13 American dollars for 1 pound, from H.E.B. stores. Brazil nuts are loaded with selenium, very healthy for humans only afew a day helps. We, need them. Good report. Thankyou
I'am not going to say what we call them . I do love these nuts.. Every thing on Earth, plays a important rolls!
Hands down, favorite nut.
If you chop it up, it makes an amazing ice cream topping. Better than any other nut.
Very interesting you should raise your prices 👍🇺🇲
Amo essas castanhas
I needed some to buy as we speak..
I have been thinking about how you can recycle the shell's. Everytime they cut down a tree they lose a a family of songbirds as well.
Woo amazing good job. From Nagaland india
Wow
I don't know bur can't that falling nut thing can be avoided by just wearing a cheap helmet?
Yes but, most collectors wait for most pods to fall before entering the jungle. Still there's a lot if risk!
No idea they came from a larger nut thing. Pretty cool
Oh man, it would be a helluva privilege to get to go work in the rainforest like that.. i mean, unless the work is destroying the rainforest, not that kind..