Pintado and Pacu: How to Produce Noble Fish from the Midwest with High Profitability

The pintado (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans) and the pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) are the noble fish of the Brazilian Midwest — with a very strong gastronomic identity in the Pantanal, Mato Grosso, and Goiás. The pintado, in particular, has exceptionally flavorful meat and a high market value: a kilo of pintado fillet can cost R$ 40 to R$ 80 in premium restaurants.

The pure pintado has limited production due to slow growth (3 to 4 years to market), but the cachapinta (pintado × cachara) and the pacamã grow faster and have similar meat. The pacu is produced on a large scale in the Midwest and has a growing demand in the region's steakhouses and in the capitals.

When pintado and pacu are produced with proper management and harvested at the ideal taste point, this segment can greatly contribute to job and income generation in Brazil.

Participate in our strategic actions to implement the best solutions in the Brazilian agricultural sector. Our activities, studies, and advanced research cover 20 chains and 255 segments of the national agro — from grain chains to sustainable extraction, including horticulture, fruit growing, livestock, and much more.

The series Innovation For Brazil to Produce More was developed specifically to identify and implement the best solutions available in Brazil and worldwide, across the 255 segments of the agricultural sector — with accessible technical language, updated data, and a focus on practical results for producers, suppliers, governments, and marketers.

1.  Opportunities for Small Rural Producers

How to produce pintado and pacu with quality and access to the premium market

The pintado requires high protein feed (38 to 42%) and careful management of water quality — it is carnivorous and sensitive to environmental quality. The pacu is omnivorous and easier to manage, ideal for producers starting out in aquaculture in the Midwest.

✔    Cachapinta (pintado × cachara hybrid) — growth 40% faster than pure pintado

✔    Pacu: system of excavated tanks with 28% protein feed

✔    Water quality: oxygen above 5 mg/L; pH between 6.5 and 8.5

✔    Harvesting pintado at 1.5 to 2 kg — ideal fillet flavor

✔    PRONAF and state lines from MT, MS, and GO for aquaculture

The E-Book 01 — Strategic Manual for the Small Rural Producer presents, in detail, the best solutions for this segment and 254 other segments of Brazilian agro — with a focus on method, cost reduction, and progressive growth from Agro 1.0 to Agro 6.0.  Access now for BRL 99.00 →

2.  Opportunities for Micro and Small Local Suppliers

What equipment the pintado and pacu chain demands

The pintado and pacu require tanks with aeration and quality fillet processing — with pintado fillet being the highest unit value product in national aquaculture.

Solutions by area of engineering applied to the segment

Our activities, studies, and advanced research cover six major areas of engineering — and the chain demands solutions in all of them:

Electrical Engineering and Computing — aeration and cold storage;

Electronic Engineering and IoT — water quality sensors;

Control and Automation Engineering — automatic feeders;

Mechatronic and Robotics Engineering — specific filleting machines;

Renewable Energies Engineering — solar for remote aquaculture;

Data Science and Artificial Intelligence — traceability of noble fish.

✔    Aerators for pintado and pacu in tanks

✔    Filleting machines for round fish (pacu)

✔    Cold storage for premium fillet

✔    Solar for aquaculture in the Midwest

✔    Technical assistance in pintado and cachapinta

The E-Book 02 — Strategic Guide for Micro and Small Local Supplier maps, segment by segment, the business opportunities — focusing on IoT, energy, automation, and specialized technical services.  Access now for BRL 99.00 →

3.  Opportunities for Municipal Governments

How the municipality can support the pintado and create regional gastronomic identity

The pintado and the pacu are the gastronomic identity of the Midwest — culinary heritages of the Pantanal and Cerrado that are gaining national recognition.

✔    Pintado and Pacu Festival — regional gastronomic identity

✔    Community aquaculture of pacu and cachapinta

✔    PNAE with local pacu for school meals

✔    Municipal IDM: pintado and pacu produced locally

✔    Fish slaughterhouse with municipal inspection

The E-Book 03 — Reference Guide for Municipal Governments presents the step-by-step process for municipal secretaries and managers to implement effective public policies for the 255 segments of agro.  Access now for BRL 99.00 →

4.  Opportunities for Small Agricultural Product Merchants

How pintado and pacu create business for restaurants and premium distributors

The grilled pintado fillet is one of the most expensive dishes on the menu of restaurants in the Midwest — and the identity of the noble fish of the Pantanal has growing gastronomic appeal in the capitals. A 300g pintado fillet sold for R$ 45 to R$ 70 in the restaurant costs R$ 12 to R$ 20.

For distributors, the whole pacu weighing 1.5 to 2 kg for barbecue is the highest growth aquaculture product in the retail of steakhouses — replacing caught fish with a product of constant quality and reliable logistics.

Products with high commercial potential

The main products derived from this segment for local retail and foodservice:

Premium pintado fillet— R$ 40 to R$ 80/kg; premium restaurants;

Whole pacu for barbecue— a product of high regional growth;

Cachapinta fillet— a product with lower cost and similar flavor;

Artisanal smoked pintado— a niche gourmet product;

Seasoned pacu for steakhouses— high turnover B2B product;

Pintado fillet for export— a growing premium market.

Merchant profiles and their specific opportunities

✔    Midwest restaurants: pintado and pacu from local production

✔    Steakhouses: seasoned pacu from local supplier

✔    Premium distributors: pintado fillet for capitals

✔    Digital platforms: noble fish from the Pantanal with origin

✔    Exporters: pintado fillet for the international market

✔    PNAE: local pacu for school meals

Growth strategies for the local merchant

The cachapinta producer who fillets and distributes to pantaneira cuisine restaurants in the capitals captures the premium price of the pintado with the production cost of the hybrid — the largest margin difference available in aquaculture in the Midwest.

PRONAF and BNDES cover aquaculture. Pronampe finances processors.

The E-Book 04 — Strategic Guide for the Small Merchant of Agricultural Products maps 30 merchant profiles and details growth opportunities across all 255 segments of agro.  Access now for BRL 99.00 →

Innovation and Technology Network

When you purchase any e-book from the series, you become a member of our Innovation and Technology Network. Groups with 30 members will be able to organize and fund in-person strategic planning events to identify and implement the best solutions available in Brazil and around the world.

✔    Small Rural Producers

✔    Micro and Small Supplier Enterprises

✔    Municipal Governments

✔    Small Agricultural Product Merchants

⭐  Special offer: I will provide 100% discount on the value of my working hours for the 10 pioneer events organized by 11/30/26 and held in December 2026. Therefore, the 10 pioneer groups will only cover the general expenses.

Sincerely,

Ivo Alves

CEO · Master in Electrical Engineering and Computing · Specialist in Innovation and Technology Project Management

Faculty: IFPB and UFRN  ·  38 years of experience in Engineering