Diagnóstico da produção e comercialização da ostra nativa, Crassostrea rhizophorae (Guilding, 1828) em uma unidade de Cultivo na Comunidade de Graciosa, Taperoá-Ba, Brasil

Abstract

Despite its extensive coastline, the production of oysters in the state of Bahia is still not satisfactory, the waters are favorable for the cultivation of this organism, there is still incentive to promote and strengthen activities in the communities of artisanal fishermen. One major barrier to the development of oyster farming in the region concerns the marketing of farmed oysters is made by buying the product at low prices and resell at higher prices than the market. In this context, the objective of this study was to detect the production and marketing of oysters in the community of Graciosa, Taperoá, Bahia. For this purpose, information was raised on the index of human influence, the characterization of the crop, the estimated production of oysters in the region, assessing the costs of production stages, the evaluation of the potential for marketing and disposal of oysters produced in the region, evaluation of management techniques. The results showed that human influence on the surrounding areas of the crops was low, but it was possible to observe polluting activities such as boat traffic, causing the oil spill in the river and the presence of domestic sewage in the open. The system used in Graciosa is the long-line. This system is composed with 204 lanterns held for 88 drums of 50 liters and a ferry. Producers realize the management every three months, where it is done cleaning the oysters and structures and the repair of damaged equipment. The producers of oysters held biometrics, where they are separated by size and relocated on the lanterns, then return to the water. Mean values were registered in the biometrics of length 49.74 mm (SD = 9.99), 32.94 mm wide (SD = 6.47) and 17.60 mm in height (SD = 4.19) for juvenile oysters. For adult oysters, the averages were 93.88 mm in length (SD = 12.48), 56.38 mm wide (SD = 7.86) and 33.82 mm in height (SD = 6.87). The culture maintains an average production of 5,100 dozen oysters. Of these, 1,450 are dozens of oysters and 3,650 dozen juveniles are adults, ready for commercialization. The farmers market oysters for $ 5.00 a dozen. The data obtained allowed to estimate that the producers have the revenue of R $ 18,250.00 oyster ready to be marketed. Juvenile oysters revenue of R $ 7,250.00, but do not guarantee the sustainability of the stock of oysters to market. For a monthly income of a minimum wage (R $ 510.00) producers need to sell 100 dozen oysters per month and for the sustainability of commercial cultivation would be necessary to quadruple production. For producers have great potential in marketing the oysters, they will have to organize knowledge about showing every step of the production chain. It is also important that they have to legalize taxation, health and environmental aspects of farming, so they can start doing the processing of oysters, adding value and selling them for a higher price, the marketing by avoiding middlemen.