Brazil nut
Brazil nuts are harvested entirely from wild, tall trees in the Amazon rainforest (mostly in Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru), where they play an important role in the Amazonian ecosystem yet are increasingly threatened by deforestation. Harvesters typically live seasonally in remote forest camps and can experience inhumane conditions such as no access to fresh drinking water and inadequate shelter.
Names
Brazil nut, Bertholletia excelsa
Found in ingredients as
Brazil nut
Used in
Source of harvest
Top producers
Brazil, Bolivia, Peru
Conservation status
IUCN Red List:
CITES:
Not listed
Opportunities
Brazil nut harvester in Peru. Photo: CIFOR
Conservation & restoration
Protection of Brazil nut trees can link into broader, critical efforts to protect the Amazon rainforest, one of the most biodiverse areas on Earth.
By conserving Brazil nut trees, also protected are the non-social bees that pollinate it and the agouti rodent that disperses its seeds.
The trees’ protection safeguards the livelihoods of those depending on Brazil nut harvest for their families’ income.
Partnerships & Associations
There is a wide range of stakeholders, including local producer unions and NGOs, already working towards responsible sourcing of Brazil nuts, which can be allied with to ensure that responsible sourcing efforts are meaningful and beneficial to local people. One example is the Sustainable Nut Initiative (SNI), an organisation working with major supermarkets Aldi and Lidl towards responsible nut supply chains, including the Brazil nut.
Standards & certification
Certifications can be a supporting tool to ensure responsible sourcing. A wide range of standards are available that can be applied to wild-harvested plants, such as FairWild, Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT), Fairtrade, FairForLife, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Organic, Rainforest Alliance, and Certificate of Origin (e.g. DOP/PDO, PGI, TCG).
The two main certifications in the Brazil nut industry are organic and fair trade. Organic can help to secure a fair price for the raw material from the exporting company, while Fairtrade certification can allow small producer groups to sell directly to buyers in foreign markets which can offer price premiums.
Biological Risk
Classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Habitat specificity: The tree is adapted to only one specific habitat type.
Reliant on specific species for reproduction: non-social bees for pollination and agouti for seed dispersal
Facing a single major threat: significant habitat loss due to deforestation
Social Risk
Assessed for
Brazil and Bolivia
Child labour and modern slavery have been documented in Brazil nut harvesting, the latter in Bolivia in particular.
Brazil, the main producing country, has been reported for its multiple violations of workers' rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.
Vulnerable groups are involved in the harvest of Brazil nuts, including migrant labour, contract labour, a high proportion of women at the processing stage, and Indigenous people.
In Brazil, B. excelsa trees are located on land under various types of ownership, potentially resulting in access rights issues and opportunities for discrimination
Collection of Brazil nuts can present health & safety issues, including insect bites, parasite infections from unsafe drinking water at forest camps, snake or scorpion stings, attacks from wild animals like the jaguar, and risk of death from heavy falling fruit