Feira do Açaí

TheFeira do Açaí (Açaí Fairin English)is a public trading post, an open-airmarketfor the commercialization ofaçaí, a smallportarea, and a set of bars, which is part of theVer-o-Peso Complex, located on the shores of theGuajará Bayin the district ofCidade Velha, in the city ofBelém,Pará,Brazil. The fair is surrounded by Castelo Forte (Castle-Fort; built in 1616), Praça do Relógio (Clock Square), and Doca das Embarcações (Vessels' Dock; fish fair est. 1803).
The fair supplies the city via river with fruitin naturafrom theaçaí palm, coming from theriverside communitiesthat live in the insular area of Belém, with 329.9361 kmcomposed of forty-two islands.The place offers tourists the sight of the movement (comings and goings) of the porters and vendors with their pots full of fruit.
Açaí has a deep impact on the region's population, with a consumption in liters twice as high as milk consumption.
Located in the Historic Center of Belém, near the Feliz Lusitânia (HappyLusitania) complex, the fair also contains bars.
Michel Pinho, president of the Cultural Foundation of Belém (Fumbel), stated that the city is going through a rescue of several cultures and the return of a local musical tradition in 2022, where the Açaí Fair resumes withcarimbó,samba, and other such events as the popular initiative projects "carimbó no caroço" and "fé nobatuque".
The consumption of açaí is well-spread across Brazil, given its nutritional value,being more present in Northern diet; however, it has been part of the diet ofindigenous peoplessince pre-Colombiantimes.
Açaí comes from a palm treeand is a dark purpleberrycontaining a proportionally large pit and little pulp.In Brazil, it is the symbol of the state ofParáand grows spontaneously in theAmazonfloodplains.It is very present in the urban agricultural production of the insular area ofBelém, supplied mainly by the river.
To be consumed, it must first go through a pulping machine or be mashed by hand so that the pulp is detached from the seed/pit and. After being mixed with water, it becomes a thick juice known as "vinho do açaí" (açaí wine).In theNorth region, this is commonly mixed withmaniocflour ortapioca starchin a bowl, forming a "pirão", accompanied by fried fish or fried beef.
The fair operates in the early hours of the morning, with the unloading of tons of açaí distributed in variouspaneiros(straw baskets) taken from the boats (nicknamed "pô-pô-pô"; in English: "poh-poh-poh") that anchor there, negotiated in the old supply/demand style.From there, açaí is then processed in the neighborhoods of the capital city.
The state ofParáproduces about 820,000 tons ofaçaíper year, corresponding to 85% of national production,making it the largest producer in the country. Most of the produce remain in the state; 60% are consumed in the region, 30% are transported to other Brazilian states, and 10% are exported abroad.
The fair is part of the architectural and landscape complex ofVer-o-Peso, listed byIPHANin 1977, which comprises an area of 35,000 square meters, with a series of historical buildings, includingBoulevard Castilhos França,Meat Market, the Fish Market, theSiqueira Campos Square, the Açaí Fair, Castle Hill, and the Fisherman's Square.