To further expand corn ethanol production in Mato Grosso, the state must also turn its attention to the production of forests. This was highlighted by the president of the Mato Grosso Reforestation Association (Arefloresta), Glauber Silveira, when attending an event on the theme, held last week.
“Each ethanol-producing industry consumes an average of 15 to 20 thousand hectares (ha) of forest, that is, for five new plants will be 100 thousand ha, which is equivalent to 500 thousand ha only to meet the demand of the ethanol industry of corn, “said Silveira.
Currently, the most planted forest species in the state are the eucalyptus with 187 thousand hectares and the Teca with 89.6 thousand hectares. According to Glauber, until very recently there was a low demand for wood, but the scenario changed. “With the expansion of corn ethanol production, we started to have a market with a profitability that can be equivalent to 23 bags of soybeans per hectare a year.”
Fausto Takizawa, secretary general of Arefloresta, explains that the goal of the Program to Produce, Preserve and Include (PCI) by 2030 is to reach 800 thousand ha planted. For this, it will be necessary to plant 41 thousand hectares of forest per year. However, the average of the last 10 years was 14 to 16 thousand ha per year. “To achieve this goal will be R $ 313 million reais in investments.”
Another obstacle, he says, is that the forest is far from the ethanol industry. “The largest concentration of Eucalyptus production is in the region of Rondonópolis, but the largest consumer market is in the Lucas do Rio Verde, Sorriso and Sinop circuit. It will be necessary to review the growing region of the crop “.
This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.