Characterization of the Wood Production Chain inRosario do Sul-RS, Brazil

Abstract

In the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, forest activities have been assuming a significant importance in the last decades. This occurs because the state presents climate and soil conditions favorable to forest cultivation, in addition to public and private institutions which produce scientific and technological knowledge applied to forest agribusiness. For that reason, the west border region of the state received significant investments from companies in the forest sector, both from the production as from the wood processing segment. Due to the dynamic emerging productive configuration, this research aimed at characterizing the wood production chain in Rosario do Sul, RS. In order to raise the necessary information, we performed semi-structured interviews with companies acting in the city’s wood production chain, belonging to the following segments: supply of raw materials; forest production; wood processing and industrial processing of forest raw material. In total we interviewed eight companies, with six being in person and two by e-mail, as requested by the companies. Subsequently, we proceeded with the descriptive analysis of the data collected and the interpretation of the results. It may be concluded that the forest sector has gained space in the current scenery of the development of Rosário do Sul, with an increase in the cultivated area and employment generation, in addition to propel local commerce, becoming, along with the agriculture and farming activity, a sector of fundamental importance for local economy.