ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF Eucalyptus grandis PLANTATION FOR CELLULOSE PRODUCTION

Abstract

The aims of this research were: to analyze the economic feasibility of planting eucalyptus for producing wood pulp, considering various site index and two spacings; to analyze the economic effects regarding the profitability of the forest activity in different distances from the industry and changes on discount rate, wood price, transportation costs, minimum profitable diameter of logs and the length of the logs. A biometric model for making wood volume prognosis was developed, using data of a trial of Eucalyptus grandis stands 19 and 103 months old. The prognosis started at the age zero, considering logs of 2.5 and 6.0 m of length and the minimum diameter varying from 4 to 10 cm, in intervals of 2 cm. Net Present Worth (NPW) was used as the economic decision criterium, considering an infinite horizon. The main conclusions were: reducing the minimum profitable diameter and the length of the logs are good strategies to increase wood utilization and profit; plantations located in less productive lands are economically unfeasible; the cost of transportation has significant effect on the profitability of the forest activity and must be analyzed carefully at the moment of defining the location of new plantations; small variations on wood sales price may cause big alterations on the profitability of the forest activity, suggesting that the improvement of the wood quality together with other decisions that may increase wood price are alternatives that may render the plantations in less productive areas profitable.