In 2012, the primary forestry production of the country amounted to R$ 18.4 billion.
Silviculture contributed with 76.9% (R$ 14.2 billion) and the harvesting of native vegetation resources, with 23.1% (R$ 4.2 billion). The national production of logs was of 146,804,476 m³, of which 89.8 % came from planted forests (silviculture). Among the main wood products from native resources, just the production of logs grew (5.2%). 
The downward trend in the production of charcoal (-14.2%) and firewood (-8.7%) remained, due to the inspection and to the increasing supply of charcoal and firewood from the planted forests: the production of charcoal from silviculture (5,097,809 t) grew 23.5%, whereas firewood from that same origin (56,761,788 m³) grew 9.7% in relation to 2011.
The main information on Forestry Activities (PEVS) 2012 is presented below. The complete publication of this survey can be accessed on: https://www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/economia/pevs/2012/default.shtm

The açai coconut, the latex, the carnauba wax, the piassava fiber, the mimosa bark, the pequi, the Brazil nut and the annatto are examples of products taken from the Brazilian native forests. They either complement the income of the gatherers or even consist of the only income source they have. In order to monitor the outcomes of these activities, the Forestry Activities Survey (PEVS) investigate 45 products (38 from native vegetation and seven from silviculture) in all Brazilian municipalities.

Silviculture still prevails

In 2012, the primary forestry production amounted to R$ 18.4 billion. Silviculture contributed with 76.9% (R$ 14.2 billion) and the exploitation of native vegetation resources, with 23.1% (R$ 4.2 billion). The predominance of silviculture in forest production has remained for more than a decade, as one can see in graph 1.

The contribution of wood products in the exploitation of vegetation resources totaled R$ 3.3 billion (or 77%) and of non-wood products, R$ 983.6 million (or 23%). In silviculture, the four wood products amounted to R$ 14.1 billion (99%) and the three non-wood products accounted for just R$ 133.1 million (only 1%).

In the national production of logs (146,804,476 m³), just 10.2% come from native vegetation, whereas 89.8 % come from planted forests. More than half (56.0%) of this log production from silvicullture is destined to the production of paper and pulp. In the production of charcoal (6,257,504 tonnes) 81.5% come from silviculture and 18.5%, from the exploitation of native vegetation. Finally, in the national production of logs (91,075,425m³), 37.7% come from the  exploitation and 62.3% from silviculture.

Six products concentrate more than 90% of the value of wild growing non-wood products

The non-wood products from native vegetation that stood out due to the value of production in 2012 were: açai coconuts (R$ 336.2 million), native yerba mate (R$ 155.3 million), babassu nuts (R$ 127.6 million), piassava fibers (U.S. $ 109.0 million), carnauba powder (R$ 95.1 million) and Brazil nuts (R$ 68.4 million). Altogether, they accounted for 90.6% of the total gathering of wild growing non-wood products.

The gathering of wild growing non-wood products concentrates in the North, with a highlight to açai (93.7%) and Brazil nuts (96.0%), and in the Northeast, particularly with the gathering of babassu nuts (99.7%), piassava fibers (96.2%) and carnauba powder (100,0%). The South Region concentrates just two wild growing products: yerba mate (99.9%) and pinion (99.0%).

In 2012, there was a fall in the gathering of most of the products from wild growing exploitation and just ten of them posted increase. The greatest changes occurred in the production of oiticica seeds, pequi and other food plants. 

Açai (fruits) - In 2012, Pará, the biggest national producer, registered 110,937 t of açai, with a high of 1.57% in relation to 2011. But Brazil's production (199,116 t) shrank 7.6%. The biggest contraction was in Amazonas, the second national producer, because of the floods. The increase in the cultivation of açai has also contributed to the drop of the wild growing of this fruit. Of the 20 greatest producing municipalities of the native açai fruits of the country, 12 are in Pará and 8 in the Amazonas. The main producing municipality is Codajás (AM), followed by Limoeiro do Ajuru, Oeiras do Pará, Ponta de Pedras, Muaná and São Sebastião da Boa Vista, all of them in Pará.

Yerba mate - 2012's production (252,700 t) grew 10.0% in relation to the previous year. Paraná was the main producing state, with 193.636 tonnes, followed by Santa Catarina (36.105 tonnes), Rio Grande do Sul (22.720 tonnes) and by Mato Grosso do Sul (239 tonnes). Of the 20 biggest producing municipalities, 18 are in Pará and the leader is São Mateus do Sul, which concentrates 14.2% of the national production.

Babassu (nuts) - The national production of babassu nuts (97,820 tonnes) fell 4.6% in relation to 2011. Maranhão is the biggest producer and concentrates 93.9% of the national production. This activity has been falling in the last few years. Babassu gathering was substituted for the production of oil and, in some municipalities, the product is used in ceramic kilns and industries. The main producing municipality is Vargem Grande (MA).

Piassava fibers - The national production of piassava fibers in 2012 (57,762 t) fell 5.9% in the year. Bahia, the biggest producer, concentrates 96.2% of the national production and has 17 of the 20 biggest producing municipalities. The municipalities of Bahia: Ilhéus, Nilo Peçanha, Cairu and Ituberá account for 84.0% of the national overall.

Carnauba wax powder- In 2012, the total production of carnauba wax powder was of 17,844 tonnes, 4.2% lower than that of 2011. The severe drought occurred in the main producing state and the high cost of the labor force were responsible for this drop. Piauí is the main producer (11,625 t), followed by Ceará (5,662 tonnes), Maranhão (513 tonnes) and Rio Grande do Norte (44 tonnes). The main producing municipality was Ganja (CE), and then Campo Maior (PI). Among the 20 leading municipalities, 12 are from Piauí, seven are from Ceará and the one, in Maranhão.

Brazil nuts - In 2012, the production of Brazil nuts was of 38.805 tonnes. The low productivity of Amazonas and the low prices in Rondônia were the main reasons for the 7.9% fall in relation to 2011. The main producing states were Acre (14.088 t), Amazonas (10.478 t) and Pará (10.449 t). The leading municipality was Brasiléia (AC), with 4,169 t.

South and Southeast concentrate wood production from silviculture

The three non-wood products from silviculture are concentrated in the South and Southeast, but the production of black wattle bark occurs exclusively in Rio Grande do Sul. The production of eucalyptus leaves is concentrated in the Southeast (90.8%) and the production of resins, in the Southeast (56.7%) and South with 33.0%. Among the non-wood products, just the production of resins had a high (3.0%) in relation to 2011.

Black wattle barks - The production of black wattle barks (103,006 t) shrank 2.4% in relation to 2011. Rio Grande do Sul is the only producing state, and Gramado is the main producing municipality, followed by Piratini, São Jerônimo, Brochier and Salvador do Sul, among others.

Eucalyptus leaves - The drought in the main producing municipality, São João do Paraíso (MG), played an important role in the 18.2% drop of the production in 2012 (46,474 t). There are only 17 producing municipalities: São João do Paraíso, Ninheira and Berizal (MG), Torrinha, Santa Maria da Serra, Dois Córregos, Brotas, São Pedro, Bauru, Mineiros do Tietê, Bocaina and Jaú (SP), Três Lagoas, Água Clara, and Antônio João (MS), Ivaté and São Manoel do Paraná (PR).

Resin - In 2012, 73,778 t of resin were produced, 3.0% more than in 2011. The leading municipality is Paranapanema (8.574 t), in São Paulo, the state with the greatest production (37,424 t).

Charcoal and firewood from wild-crop harvesting still falling

The wood products from wild growing with increase in the production were logs (5.2%) and the number of native pine trees taken down (14.6%). The other products had a downfall: charcoal (-14.2%), logs (-8.7%) and pine-knots (-2.8%).

The industrial demand, price, the weather, the availability of labor force for the harvesting of products and the inspection – giving or not permission to plant in certain areas, imposing fines and closing sawmills and charcoal kilns - explain the oscillations of the exploitation of native products.

Charcoal from wild growing - In 2012 the national production of charcoal from wild growing was of 1,159,695 t, or 14.2% less than 2011's. Maranhão (346,277 t) and Mato Grosso do Sul (259,616) concentrated 52.2% of the production. Grajaú (MA) (92,295 t) still leads and is followed by Aquidauma (MS) (35,000 t). Among the 20 biggest producers, six are in Maranhão, five in Mato Grosso do Sul, five in Bahia, one in Piauí, one in Pará and one in Paraná.

Firewood from wild growing - 34,313,637 m³ of firewood were taken from native forests in 2012, 8.7% less than in 2011. Bahia (7,257,950 m³) was the biggest producer, followed by Ceará (3.855.195 m³), Pará (3.150.592 m³), Maranhão (2.764.706 m³), Pernambuco (2.170.136 m³) and Mato Grosso (2.168.714 m³). Altogether, the six states produced 62.3% of the national overall. Xique-Xique (BA) was the leader. Among the 20 major producing municipalities, nine are in Bahia, five in Pará, four in Pernambuco, one in Acre and one in Maranhão.

Logs from wild growing - In 2012 the production of logs from wild growing increased 5.2% in relation to 2011. 14,925,501 m³ were produced, mainly in Pará (4,877,005 m³), Mato Grosso (4,050,383 m³) and Rondônia (2,386,044 m³) which were responsible for 75.8% of the total. Portel (900,000 m³) in Pará, Porto Velho (876,934 m³) in Rondônia and Aripuanã (532,105 m³), in Mato Grosso, are the three leaders

Production of charcoal from silviculture grows 23.5% and of firewood, 9.7%

Of the wood products from silviculture, just logs for paper and pulp posted decrease in the production (-2.6%). The Southeast was responsible for 87.3% of the total production of charcoal, 40.8% of logs for paper and pulp, 25.8% of firewood and of 34.6% of logs for other purposes produced in Brazil in 2012. The South accounted for 64.8% of firewood, 30% of logs for paper and pulp and 58.8% of wood for other purposes.

Charcoal from silviculture - The production of charcoal from silviculture, in 2012, was of 5,097,809 tonnes, 23.5% higher than the one obtained in 2011. Minas Gerais was the bigger producer (4,335,499 t) accounting for 85.0% of the national production, followed by Maranhão (312,296 t) and Bahia (155,856 t). The municipality of João Pinheiro (MG), with a production of 362.439 m³, is the biggest national producer. Minas Gerais concentrates 18 of the 20 major producing municipalities (except for two municipalities in Maranhão, Bom Jardim and Açailândia).

Firewood from silviculture - The substitution of native firewood for silviculture firewood has been encouraging the production of the latter, which, in 2012, grew 9.7% in relation to 2011, reaching 56.761.788 m³. Rio Grande do Sul (14,510,329 m³), Paraná (13,923,812 m³), Santa Catarina (8,321,977 m³), São Paulo (7,060,277 m³) and Minas Gerais (6,898,329 m³) are the main producers, with 89.3% of the national overall. Salto do Itararé (PR) was the leader.

Logs for paper and pulp from silviculture -The production of logs for paper and pulp posted decrease of -2.6% in 2012. Of the 73,837,128 m³ obtained, São Paulo produced 19,167,439 m³, followed by Bahia (14,691,841 m³), Paraná (9,861,953 m³), Santa Catarina (9,839,386 m³). The leading municipality is Brasilândia (MS), followed by Caravelas and Mucuri (BA).

Logs for other purposes from silviculture - In 2012, Brazil produced 58,041,847 m³ of logs for other purposes, with a high of 16.2% in relation to 2011. Paraná contributed with 19,191,900 m³ (or 33.1% of the total), followed by São Paulo (11,900,773 m³), Santa Catarina (9,648,887 m³), Minas Gerais (7,768,014 m³) and Rio Grande do Sul (5,276,105 m³). Itapetinimga (1,810,320 m³) and Botucatu (1,196,306 m³) in São Paulo; Porto Grande in Amapá (1,648,911 m³); Telêmaco Borba (1,531,989 m³), General Carneiro (1,360,000 m³) in Paraná and Estrela do Sul (1,400,00 m³) in Minas Gerais are the six biggest producing municipalities.