Fatores que afetam o consumo de produtos derivados do açaí (Euterpe oleracea, Mart.) na região metropolitana de Natal/RN

Abstract

Brazil is know worldwide for being an appropriate country for the development of agrobusiness, possessing vast and good quality land for cultivation and with favorable climate for various types of culture. In addition to actively contributing to the Brazilian GDP, the consumption and dristribution of açaí has also reached the international market. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between some factors capable of influencing of products derived from Açaí (Euterpe oleracea, Mart.) in the municipality of Natal/RN, aiming to contribute to a better economic use of the product in the region. To this end, the hypothetical-deductive method was used, where some theoretical models were used to construct hypotheses of relationships, making it possible to specify and correlate the possible factors capable of influencing the consumption of products derived from Açaí. The object of study was the metropolitan region of Natal, capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte. As an instrument of data collection, a questionnaire was elaborated with the purpose of capturing information regarding the factors capable of influencing the consumption of açaí and its derived products. The questionnaire was structured as a five-point metric scale, based on the Likert model, where the respondent were asked to present their opinion regarding a question. Results indicate that factors such as price, product quality, ease of purchase and especially flavor, affect the consumption of Açaí (Euterpe oleracea, Mart.) products in the metropolitan region of Natal/RN. A weak correlation was observed between the frequency of physical activity and the consumption of açaí.