Certain waves can revolutionize cities, states or countries. It was like this in Mato Grosso, more specifically in four cities that have become a reference in pig farming since the 90s. This 'swine wave' happened in Tapurah, Sorriso, Nova Mutum and Lucas do Rio Verde, where all cities showed growth in HDI - Human development Index.
“Of course, it wasn’t just the pigs, but above all the growth of agriculture”, says Paulo Osaki, project manager at IMEA – Instituto Matogrossense de Economia Agropecuária. Currently, Mato Grosso is responsible for 5.5% of Brazil's pig slaughters.
Nova Mutum and Tapurah, for example, had an HDI of 0.43 in 1991 – a value considered low by the UN standard. In 2010, it reached 0.758 and 0.714, respectively: average values and bordering on high development (the UN considers the place developed based on a score of 0.800 and an average between 0.5 and 0.799).
Angelo Ozelame, technical manager at IMEA, explains that pig farming was an alternative to local corn production, as the meat has a better value than the grain:
“This attracted producers from Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná, who came to Mato Grosso to take advantage of the potential of corn, a cheaper raw material here than in the South.” The three Southern states are the sector leaders, each with more than 20% of national slaughters.
According to Ozelame, even geographically distant, the low cost of corn compensates for shipping to the country's main centers. Furthermore, producers saw Mato Grosso as an opportunity to be independent. “The big difference is the issue of integration is stronger in the South”, he says. In these cases, producers are forced to sell their pork production to a specific slaughterhouse, which does not occur in much of the Midwestern state.
And the future?
To grow production in Mato Grosso, the challenge is to increase Brazilians' interest in consumption. “Mato Grosso has only 3 million inhabitants, and most of the pork does not stay here: it goes to large centers and for export,” says Osaki. In 2016, almost 22% of production was exported, 55.7% sent to other states and the rest remained in the local market.
But the state seems ready to take on a leadership position. “In terms of technology, entrepreneurs, labor, Mato Grosso has potential,” comments Osaki.
Ozelame shares his colleague's optimism, reinforcing the potential of Mato Grosso's lands, capable of producing a high diversity of production. “It was like that even with sunflowers: the opportunity presented itself and, overnight, we became the largest producer in Brazil”, exemplifies the technical manager. Another similar example is cotton.
The same could happen with pigs, according to both experts. Now it remains to be seen when. “It is difficult to specify a date, or decade, but the capacity exists”, adds Ozelame.
Source: Agrolink
