In Altamira, Adepará delivers registration certificates to two more chocolate agro-industries in the Xingu region
There are now four chocolate agro-industries certified with the artisanal seal by the Defense Agency in the region.
The biggest showcase for chocolates produced in the Transamazon and Xingu region, the International Cocoa and Chocolate Festival – Chocolat Xingu, held in Altamira, has also served as a stage to present chocolate bar brands that have obtained the artisanal plant product seal, granted by the State Government through the Agricultural Defense Agency of Pará (Adepará).
In the municipalities of Brasil Novo and Altamira, four family agro-industries have already been authorized by Adepará to process cocoa in factories installed on their own properties. The production is largely based on sustainable agroforestry systems, which combine organic cocoa cultivation with forest preservation.
With the support of Adepará and institutional partners, producer Irandi Frutuoso presented for the first time at the festival the Frutuoso brand, which bears the family name and uses raw material from a plantation with 7,000 cocoa trees. It took two years of work to build the small factory on the property, where today she transforms 4 tons of cocoa per harvest into bars, nibs, and chocolates.
“It was a farm built with the effort of the whole family, and now we are reaping the fruits. I thank the Adepará team, who guided us throughout the process to make this factory a reality,” declared Irandi, the third producer with an agro-industry certified by the agency in Brasil Novo, a municipality that has over 1,400 registered cocoa producers.
During the Cocoa Cultivation Forum of the Transamazon and Xingu, held as part of the festival's programming, Irandi received the agro-industry registration certificate from Adepará officials. Businesswoman Rosângela Ozawa, from Ozawa Chocolates, was also awarded the official certification.
According to agricultural inspector Pedro Araújo, Adepará has been operating since 2017 with the Artisanal Plant program, which initially covered pulps and flours, and is now advancing into the chocolate sector.
“This recognition is essential to ensure the sustainable provenance of products made with Amazon cocoa, adhering to hygienic and sanitary criteria. The transformation of the bean into chocolate adds value and strengthens the local economy,” he pointed out.
Adepará's agricultural inspectors also participated as speakers in the panel on the Artisanal Production Seal in Chocolate Factories, highlighting the importance of certification to boost regional development.
“It is gratifying to see, in the heart of the Amazon, small factories operating and verticalizing production. It reflects a lot of physical, technical, and financial effort,” said Lucionila Pimentel, director of Plant Defense and Inspection at Adepará.
One of the highlights of the panel was entrepreneur Jiovana Lunelli, from Cacau Xingu, the first registered chocolate agro-industry in Pará with the artisanal seal. Jiovana emphasized the importance of state certification and recognition by the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Agriculture (MDA).
“Cacau Xingu was the first in the Transamazon to enter the MDA showcase as a family agriculture product. Having a certified product ensures that we are delivering something safe and of quality. We sought Adepará precisely to validate this,” she explained.
Jiovana is now preparing to represent Xingu at COP30 in November in Belém. She created a special line of chocolates inspired by the climate conference, focusing on the sustainable origin of cocoa cultivated in agroforestry systems.
“We want to show that family agriculture in the Amazon has the potential to present competitive and certified products. The time has come to stop selling only beans and start transforming, generating value, jobs, and quality of life. Our chocolate has history, traceability, and a unique flavor,” she stated.
During the event, visitors can learn about the products of local agro-industries at the Adepará booth, where guidance on artisanal production registration is also being provided. The Altamira regional team, which covers eight cocoa-producing municipalities, is also conducting educational actions at ports, bus stations, and airports, reinforcing preventive measures against Moniliasis, a disease that is not yet present in Pará thanks to continuous agricultural surveillance work.
Chocolat Xingu runs until Sunday (29) at the Altamira Events Center, with free admission. The initiative is promoted by the State Government through the Secretary of Agricultural Development and Fisheries (Sedap) and the City Hall of Altamira.
