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🌿 Harvesting & Transport in the Colombian Amazon

In the lush, biodiverse lowlands of the Colombian Amazon — particularly in departments like Putumayo, Caquetá, Guaviare, and Amazonas — the harvesting of Amazonian fruits is carried out almost entirely by local smallholder farmers, indigenous families, and rural cooperatives. These communities are the stewards of both the land and the traditional knowledge used to gather and protect these unique resources.

Who Harvests the Fruits?

• Indigenous Communities: Groups such as the Inga, Murui, Tikuna, and others practice ancestral, low-impact harvesting techniques passed down through generations.
• Campesino Families: Rural farming families, many of whom live in areas affected by past conflict, are now part of a new, sustainable rural economy.
• Women’s Associations: In many areas, women lead local collectives that specialize in fruit gathering and seed selection, providing income and empowerment.
• These harvesters operate within community forests, agroforestry plots, or traditional “chagras” — forest gardens that blend conservation with cultivation.

How the Fruits Are Harvested

• Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis): Grown in small agroforestry plots; seeds are hand-collected, sun-dried, and stored in breathable sacks to maintain freshness.
• Copoazú (Theobroma grandiflorum): Fruits are collected by hand once fallen ripe from the tree, preserving both the tree and the surrounding habitat.
• Açaí (Euterpe oleracea): Climbers harvest ripe berry clusters using traditional climbing gear and ropes, often in flooded forest zones.
• Chontaduro (Bactris gasipaes): Harvested from tall palms, often with long harvesting poles or by climbing, then bundled for transport.

All harvesting is done with minimal environmental impact — no machinery, no chemicals, and always with respect for the seasonal rhythms of the forest.

How the Ingredients Reach Market

Once harvested, the fruits, seeds, or pulps begin their journey from the Amazon to small processing centers or direct clients like Natural Kattalei. This step involves complex logistics in a region with limited infrastructure:

• Transport Methods:
  • On foot or motorcycle from remote forest plots to the nearest trailhead or village.
  • By canoe or riverboat along rivers such as the Putumayo or Caquetá, depending on the season.
  • By mule or small truck from intermediate hubs to towns like Mocoa, Villagarzón, or Puerto Asís.
• Many producers work in collaboration with associations or cooperatives who help aggregate and organize bulk transport, ensuring both quality control and fair payment.

This system of community-led harvesting and decentralized transport is what allows Natural Kattalei to work directly with source communities, reducing intermediaries, preserving ingredient freshness, and ensuring that profits remain in the Amazon.