The value of silviculture and wild crop harvesting added up to R$18.5 billion in 2016, with a 0.8% growth in relation to 2015. Silviculture (obtained from planted forests), contributes with 76.1% (R$14.1 billion) to the total, whereas Wild-crop harvesting (collection of products in woods and native forests) had a participation of 23.9% (R$ 4.4 billion).

Wood products were responsible for 97.7% (R$13.8 billion) and non-wood products for 2.3% (R$327.0 million) of the production value of silviculture. In wild crop harvesting, wood and non-wood products represented, respectively, 64.5% (R$2.9 billion) and 35.5% (R$1.6 billion).

Food products had the biggest contribution to the production value of non-wood harvesting (71.9%), totaling R$1.2 billion, followed by waxes (13.5%), oilseeds (7.4%), fibers (7.0%) and other groups (0.4%).

Of the 23 products shrinking the output, acai berries (-0.2%), carnauba wax powder (-10.1%) and Brazil nuts (-14.7%) are the top four values in non-wood harvesting. Among them, yerba mate was the only one with a high in the amount produced (1.7%). Despite shrinking production, acai berries had the greatest value (R$539.8 million), with growth of 12.4%.

Nine of the 37 products of the wild crop harvesting increased the output in 2016 (piassava, stryphnodendron adstringens bark, copaiba oil, baru almond, yerba mate, umbu, mangaba, pine knot and annatto).

In order to monitor the outcomes of these activities, the 2016 edition of Forestry Activities Survey (PECS) investigated 37 products from wild crop-harvesting and seven from silviculture in all Brazilian municipalities. The surveys bring information on production changes and spatial distribution of wood and non-wood products. In addition, it indicates the contribution of wild crop harvesting and silviculture in the value of forestry.

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Extraction of acai falls 0.2%, and that of yerba mate increases 1.7%

The production of acai in 2016 remained almost stable, with 215.6 thousand metric tons, a decrease of 0.2% against the 2015 figure. The main producing states were Pará (61.2%), with 131.8 thousand metric tons, and Amazonas (26.7%), with 57.6 thousand metric tons. The three main municipalities in terms of output are still Limoeiro do Ajuru (PA), Codajás (AM) and Oeiras do Pará (PA).

The amount of yerba mate obtained increased 1.7% compared with the 2015 figure, with 346.9 thousand metric tons. Besides the three southern states, only Mato Grosso was responsible for some output in 2016. Paraná is the main producer, with 86.4% of the national total. Except for Chapecó (SC) and Fontoura Xavier (RS), all the producing municipalities are located in Paraná, the main highlights being São Mateus do Sul, Cruz Machado and Bituruna.

Piauí and Ceará accounted for 96.3% of the national output of carnauba wax powder, with almost 18.0 thousand metric tons, a decrease of 10.1% in relation to 2015. Granja, Camocim and Santana do Acaraú re the main producers in the state of Ceará, and Campo Maior, Piripiri and Piracuruca, in Piauí.

Brazil nut had an output of 34.7 thousand metric tons, with a decrease of 14.7% against that in the previous year. Acre, which led the national production in 2015, had an output of  8.7 thousand metric tons in 2016, with a decrease of 37.7%. Pará also reduced its output to 6.9 thousand metric tons (-13.8%). Amazonas was the main national producer (15,0 thousand metric tons), with the municipalities of Humaitá and Coari as the main highlights. The municipalities of Sena Madureira, Rio Branco and Brasiléia are the main producerd in Acre, whereas, in Paraná, Oriximiná and Óbidos stand out.

The production of resin, the main non-wood forestry product, increased 10.8%. Out of the 106.2 thousand metric tons produced, 59.4% came from São Paulo. Other contributions were those of Rio Grande do Sul (24.2%), Minas Gerais (8.6%), Mato Grosso do Sul (7.9%), Paraná (2.2%) and Espírito Santo (1,9%). Mato Grosso do Sul, alone, with 3.9 thousand metric tons, recorded a decrease of output (-15.7%). Among the producing municipalities, the highlights were Santa Vitória do Palmar (RS), Buri and Itapirapuã Paulista, both located in the state of São Paulo.

Wood production records decrease once more: -7.0%

In 2016, the three wood products obtained from wild-crop harvesting recorded, according to the survey, a decrease against the figure a year ago. The production of logged wood from native forests amounted to 11.5 million, with a decrease of 7.0% in relation to the 2015 figure. The main producers were Mato Grosso (29.0%), Pará (28.8%) and Rondônia (12.6%). Pará, in 2016, lost the first position after recording a decrease of 20.7% in output, which was 3.3 million m³. The municipality of Portel (PA) remains as the main producer, with 8.8% of the total, and followed by two municipalities: Aripuanã and Colniza.

The production of firewood from wild-crop harvesting recorded, in 2016, a decrease of 7.4% against the 2015 result. The total amount obtained was 25.0 million m³ , out of which Bahia represented 20.1%, followed by Ceará (12.5%) and Maranhão (8.4%), which accounted, together, for 41.0% of the national output. In Bahia, Xique-Xique was responsible for the biggest output; in Ceará, Santa Quitéria was.

Charcoal from wild-crop harvesting amounted to 544.5 thousand metric tons, with a decrease of 31.7%. The main producers were Maranhão (161.2 thousand metric tons), Bahia (100.5 thousand metric tons). Among the leading municipalities, we mention: Baianópolis (BA), Grajaú (MA), Riachão das Neves (BA) and São Desidério (BA).

Output of logged wood for the pulp and paper sector increased 10.8%

Logged wood for pulp and paper had the same performance as in 2015, with an increase of 10.8% and an output of 85.2 million m³. Paraná, with an increase of 43.9%, produced 15.9 million m³, and surpassed São Paulo (14.7 million m³), which recorded a decrease of 5.4%. The main producer, among the municipalities, was Telêmaco Borba (PR). The 20 biggest municipalities, together, accounted for 35.3% of the national total. From the overall total, 80.2% came from eucalyptus planting areas and 18.8% from pine forests.

A toal 54.7% of the total logged wood for other purposes produced in the country was obtaned from eucalyptus and pinus forests. The output of 2016 was 48.5 million m³, na increase of 3.1% in relation to 2015. The main producing states were Paraná (17.0 million m³) and São Paulo (8.4 million m³). Among the municipalities, highlights were General Carneiro (PR), Cerro Azul (PR) and Sengés (PR); Botucatu (SP) and Itatinga (SP).

The South Region also recorded the biggest participation in the production of logged wood for pulp or paper (33.2%) and logged wood for other purposes (62.6%).

The production of charcoal from silviculture in 2016 was 8.0% below that in the previous year, with 5.0 million metric tons. A total 98.9% of that amount came from eucalyptus crops. Minas Gerais and Maranhão, together, accounted for 91.4% of the national output. The group of 20 biggest main producers has 17 from Minas Gerais, the main highlights being João Pinheiro, national leader in terms of output, Três Marias and Buritizeiro. Açailândia, Bom Jardim and Grajaú are the three municipalities from Maranhão that close the list. 

The total firewood produced in 2016 was 53. million m³, a decrease of 2.3% in relation to the result of 2015. In spite of the 8.9% decrease, Paraná was the main producer, being followed by Rio Grande do Sul (23.8%), Santa Catarina (14.5%), São Paulo (11.6%) and Minas Gerais (11,0%). Rancharia (SP), Telêmaco Borba (PR) and Butia (RS) stood out as the main municipal producers. The output of eucalyptus firewood accounted for 85.8% of the total amount obtained in planted areas, whereas the output of pine accounts for 5.6%.

Silviculture area hits 10.0 million hectares in 2016

The area used by silviculture in 2016 was 10.0 million hectares, an increase of 0.9% in relation to 2015. Out of this total, 75.3% are planted with eucalyptus and 20.7%, with pine.

Despite the decrease by 1.2%, the South Region had, once more, the biggest planted area (3.7 million ha), being 49.1% covered with pine, 44.9% with eucalyptus and 6.0% with other species. Paraná (1.6 million ha) had the biggest planted area in the South Region, followed by Rio Grande do Sul (1.1 million ha) and Santa Catarina (1.0 million ha).

Among the municipalities with the biggest areas directed to silviculture, the highlights are Três Lagoas and Ribas do Rio Pardo ambos do (MS), both with areas above 200 thousand ha each.