Production of Andiroba Oil Generates Economic Development, Connects Riverside Communities, and Preserves the Amazon Rainforest
- Mayra Leal
- Sep 21
- 6 min read
In another report of the series “Bio Valor: The Paths of Socio-bioeconomy in Pará,” learn more about the andiroba production chain in the region.
Andiroba Oil (Photo: Amazon Oil)
A natural elixir with medicinal properties capable of treating various ailments and even combating aging—that is andiroba oil, one of the most widely consumed products in the Amazon and of great importance for the livelihood of riverside and Indigenous communities. In Pará, the extract is part of popular medicine and represents a sustainable alternative for the cosmetics industry, being used as a moisturizer, antioxidant, and healing agent.
The name andiroba comes from the Tupi word “nhandyroba,” which means “bitter oil,” referring to the liquid extracted from the seeds of the Carapa guianensis tree. Native to the Amazon region, this tree can reach up to 30 meters in height and is used in carpentry, joinery, and natural medicine. Until the first half of the last century, andiroba oil was used for public and household lighting before electricity became widespread.
Today, it also attracts the interest of the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and scientific communities. “Andiroba is a very versatile species with great economic value because of its therapeutic, antioxidant, and repellent properties. The oil is recommended for anti-inflammatory, healing, moisturizing treatments, and as a natural insect repellent. It is used in cosmetics, personal care products, and massage creams. What was once traditional knowledge is now scientifically recognized, with proven therapeutic effects. For this reason, it is also widely used in pharmaceutical and herbal medicine products,” explains Fátima Chamma, vice president of Sinquifarma, the union of chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, perfumery, and personal care product industries in Pará.
According to Fátima Chamma, all union members who work with oils and creams use andiroba oil, and the product’s market demand continues to grow. “Both in the national and international markets, there is a strong demand for natural and sustainable products. Andiroba oil is sought after for its phytotherapeutic and biotechnological properties, with the potential to generate products that move the cosmetics and pharmaceutical markets in a solid way,” she emphasizes.
The appreciation of Amazonian knowledge and products like andiroba oil is reflected in several industrial sectors, especially in northern Brazil. The main producers of the oil in the country are located in the Amazon region. According to the 2017 Agricultural Census of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), there were 767 agricultural establishments using andiroba forest products in Pará, second only to Amazonas with 904 establishments. Despite having fewer producers, Pará leads in production volume, with 310 tons, most of which (207 tons) are marketed as seeds.
Part of this production is transformed into vegetable oil, known for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, adding value to the product. Data from the National Supply Company (Conab) recorded a production of 115.5 tons in Brazil in 2022, equivalent to about 6,300 20-liter gallons. Of this total, 87% came from Amazonas and Pará, with the remaining 13% produced in Maranhão.
The product is also gaining ground internationally. A 2024 projection by the consultancy Future Market Report estimated that the sector, valued at 137.5 million dollars at the time, is expected to reach 265.3 million dollars by 2032, with an average annual growth of 8.5%. Key export destinations include the United States, France, Germany, and Spain, where the oil is used in cosmetics, herbal medicines, and personal care products.
Women’s Extractivist Association of Combú Preserves the Andiroba Tradition in Pará
In Pará, knowledge related to the use of andiroba is strengthened by community initiatives. Residents of the Piriquitaquara community on Combú Island, in Belém, created the Women’s Extractivist Association of Combú to value the artisanal production of the oil and preserve ancestral knowledge. “The association was a rescue of a culture that was being lost, already forgotten by many,” says association president Daniele Sarmanho. The idea emerged from a conversation between UEPA researcher and professor Flávia Cristina Araújo Lucas and Dona Nena, a riverside entrepreneur and founder of the Filha do Combu chocolate shop, who recalled how her grandmother produced the oil by hand. “We invited some women to talk about the importance of the project and, after a few meetings, the association was formed,” Daniele recounts.
At the association, the work follows traditional techniques. The seeds are selected, washed, and cooked, then undergo a month-long fermentation period before being cracked and crushed in a fully manual process.
What began as a volunteer effort has now become a source of income. “It is gratifying to work with what you love and to have financial return. At first it was all voluntary, but we always did it with love,” says Daniele Sarmanho. She explains that beyond the economic dimension, the work involves ancestral wisdom passed down through generations. One of the strongest teachings is the belief that pregnant women, women during their menstrual cycle, or people considered to carry “negative energy” should not participate in the production of andiroba oil. According to elders, the presence of these women could “cut” or weaken the oil, causing it to lose yield or medicinal potency. Within the cultural logic, it is believed that the female body during these periods carries unstable energy that can interfere with the process.
Despite challenges brought by climate change, the association maintains production by storing raw materials and receiving donated equipment. The goal is not mass sales but working in harmony with the environment. The president emphasizes that the oil is made by hand to preserve its properties. The group also produces soaps, repellents, and creams, but its main purpose is to keep tradition alive. “We want young people and children to learn so that this culture stays alive,” concludes Daniele Sarmanho.
Company Combines Innovation and Community Partnerships to Expand Amazonian Oils
Andiroba oil combines tradition, sustainability, and economic potential, exemplifying how Amazonian products can generate local development without harming the forest. In addition to meeting national and international demand, its production values ancestral knowledge, strengthens extractivist communities, and highlights the importance of preserving the Amazon’s biodiversity.
Founded in the mid-2000s, Amazon Oil, located in the Belém metropolitan area, is one of the leading producers of vegetable oils and native butters in the region. The company integrates proprietary technology with partnerships with extractivist communities, transforming traditional knowledge into large-scale products that reach national and international markets.
The raw materials used in the company’s products come from family production in 46 Amazonian communities, ensuring sustainable harvesting and the preservation of native trees. The company also generates social impact by helping to improve quality of life in riverside communities engaged in the production of andiroba seeds. “An example is Vila do Jubim, in Salvaterra (Marajó), where one of the residents sold more than two tons of seeds in the first few months and was able to improve her home. Soon, the entire community felt the impact. Over time, homes were renovated, electricity and appliances arrived. It was a process of real inclusion,” recalls operations director Igor Morais.
Igor, a mechanical engineer and Amazon Oil’s production director, inherited from his family a deep connection with the forest and traditional knowledge of Amazonian oils. His family has maintained a tradition spanning more than two generations in using plants and oils from the region, with special emphasis on andiroba oil. In addition to the influence of his great-grandmother, knowledge about the product was also passed on by the family herbalist, who prepared home remedies and shared expertise on natural extracts, reinforcing the value of Amazonian popular knowledge.
At its factory, Amazon Oil invests in technology to meet growing demand for andiroba oil, mainly from the cosmetics sector, followed by artisanal soap-making and the pharmaceutical industry. The product is also gaining international markets, with strong acceptance in the United Kingdom and Canada, where interest in natural and sustainable ingredients continues to rise.
Reconciling growth with forest preservation is, according to Igor Morais, the company’s purpose. “To produce one ton of andiroba oil, the trees must remain standing. The greater the demand, the more extractivists are encouraged to protect and even plant new trees, ensuring the sustainability of production and the forest,” he concludes. In addition to andiroba oil, the company’s portfolio currently includes nearly 30 products, such as cupuaçu butter, pracaxi oil, Brazil nut oil, and murumuru butter, with the five main items together totaling between 500 and 600 tons of production over ten years.
The series “Bio Valor” is an initiative of the COP+ Journey, led by FIEPA, which publishes monthly reports on key products of the socio-bioeconomy of the Brazilian Amazon. The series aligns with the Journey’s socio-bioeconomy program, which is creating a digital platform to measure the value of this economy in Pará. The platform will serve as a map of the producers, associations, cooperatives, and industries that make up the state’s socio-bioeconomic ecosystem.
The COP+ Journey is carried out by the Federation of Industries of the State of Pará (FIEPA), the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), and Instituto Amazônia+21, co-organized by Hydro, with super master sponsorship from Vale and Albras, and premium sponsorship from Guamá Waste Treatment, SINOBRAS, and Bayer. The initiative was conceived by Temple Comunicação and is supported by Ação Pró-Amazônia, the Amazon Legal Interstate Consortium, the Brazilian Chamber of the Construction Industry (CBIC), the Brazilian Association of Photovoltaic Solar Energy (ABSOLAR), SESI, and SENAI.
