The Brazil nut is in short supply this winter and warnings have been issued that the crop faces long-term problems because of intensive farming.
Research initiated by Dr Carlos Perez of the University of East Anglia believes that to avert an eventual collapse of the Brazil nut industry, there should be close monitoring and careful management to encourage younger trees to grow.
This year the Brazil nut season lasted only from February to March and produced 12,000 tonnes of nut a quarter of the usual harvest.
Supermarkets and importers are also concerned by the effects of European Commission legislation to control levels of aflatoxins in the nuts, which is linked to liver cancer.
The legislation introduced in July means all imported Brazil nuts must be tested in their country of origin and certified to say they contain less than four milligrams of toxin per kilogram of nuts.
Supermarkets and nut importers claim that the tests are difficult to pass and have diminished their supply.
