State support ensures improvement in the production of buffalo milk derivatives in Marajó
Technicians from Sedap visited cheese factories in Cachoeira do Arari, monitoring the advances in production by local small entrepreneurs
The largest producer of buffalo in the country, the Marajó Archipelago, in northern Pará, also stands out in the manufacturing of derivatives in this production chain, especially cheese, recognized for its quality and flavor. In order to further improve the development of buffalo farming in Marajó, technicians from the State Secretariat for Agricultural Development and Fisheries (Sedap) visited on Wednesday (2) properties producing cheese and other buffalo milk derivatives, especially in Cachoeira do Arari, the municipality where the fourth edition of the Dairy Tournament takes place.
Throughout the week, Sedap staff are also following the 10th Dairy Tournament of Marajó and meeting with producers and entrepreneurs in the region who work in artisanal cheese production.
Income generation - Among the properties visited is that of producer Edilson Portal, who has two cheese factories - in the Retiro Grande district, in Cachoeira do Arari, and in Soure, with a production of 160 kilos per day. He does not sell cheese at retail, but wholesale, so that all small entrepreneurs in the region, he reported, have the opportunity to work with the sale of the product.
“We sell to small merchants, street vendors, and small producers, who come here and buy at a better price wholesale, and will sell. This is an income generation that we encourage to improve everyone's life, which is one of our goals in the cheese factory,” emphasized Edilson Portal.
For the producer, holding a dairy tournament, as is happening in Marajó until next Friday (4), encourages the breeder/producer to invest in improvements in production, from genetics to the quality of milk collection. “This also values the animal. It is a complete appreciation of the system,” he reiterated.
The producer also highlighted the qualities of cheese produced with buffalo milk, which guarantee unique characteristics. “Especially the flavor, which is specific. Its protein is A2. Many people who are lactose intolerant can eat it without any problem,” he informed.
For Edilson Portal, it is important that the state government, through Sedap, monitors and maintains the partnership with local entrepreneurs. “With this partnership, we can go far. By uniting forces, we can go very far,” he assured.
Differential - The importance of exchanging information and providing technical support and assistance to actions developed by producers in Marajó, especially small ones, is also emphasized by producer Rosiléa Paixão, president of the Rural Union and the Women in Agriculture Commission of Cachoeira do Arari. Women, she said, increasingly show the strength of a sector that was once dominated by men. According to the producer, women make a difference every day, with more strength in livestock and agriculture.
Rosiléa Paixão is an example of dedication and perseverance. She is still recovering from the consequences of the fire on her property last year, which affected milk and derivative production. She has 100 animals, from which she extracts milk for the production of cheeses, sweets, bottle butter, pot butter, and the famous "frito do vaqueiro," made from fried buffalo meat with butter and meat fat.
With effort, she managed to recover part of the production. “Now that we are recovering. But I didn't give up. We had the support of the Association, from people who helped us, and we are with our production, because this is where I get my livelihood,” she said.
She also emphasized the support she receives from the government and the organization of the dairy tournament in Cachoeira do Arari. "We are being seen more by the government. Before, there was no assistance. The most visible were the large producers, and now we receive this incentive from the state government. This type of event is also important because it encourages small breeders. I received all the encouragement at the tournament, and improved my production,” she added.
Sweet production - In addition to producers and breeders of buffalo, there are small entrepreneurs in Marajó who manufacture and sell handmade products. Elma Vidal, who has a homemade dulce de leche production, already has loyal customers. “It is gratifying. Our product sells a lot. I usually say that its seasoning is not sugar, but love,” said Elma, who on average produces 20 to 30 tubs of sweets, such as milk she acquires from local producers.
“Our Marajó has many buffalo. From this animal, we extract milk and produce cheese and other products that come from milk. For us, it represents our livelihood,” she stated.
Boost - Sedap develops actions to boost buffalo farming in the Marajó region. Veterinarian Augusto Peralta informed that, in addition to the partnership with local producers, the Secretariat is already investing in integrated work, through the partnership being established with federal institutions, including the Federal Rural University of the Amazon (Ufra) and the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), as well as the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa Amazônia Oriental).
“We want to improve this chain. The buffalo is the driving force of Marajó. When we talk about the region, we refer to the buffalo, and when we talk about buffalo farming, we arrive at cheese. The quality we observe, as we are confirming here in this visited cheese factory, is the result of more than ten years of actions such as animal improvement. Today we have buffalo with better quality and quantity of milk, and with that, we have better quality products, both for the Marajoara consumer, as well as for those in Belém, all over Brazil, and even abroad,” highlighted Augusto Peralta.
The partnerships show the final result of a chain that starts, emphasized the Sedap server, with the encouragement of the small producer. “He has a genetically improved herd, and is improving his production. And this raw material arrives at the cheese factory to be processed, where we see the manufacture of milk derivatives. This is very good because it closes the production chain with returns to all segments,” he said.
