Carlos Eduardo de Freitas Vian

Álcool combustível e biodiesel no Brasil: quo vadis?

The objective of this study is to make an analysis of the agro-energy chains of the alcohol fuel and bio-diesel, based on the neo-corpora-tivism reference. As a result, one of the challenges of the Brazilian alcohol chain is to select the dimensions of the external and internal market of alcohol that comes out, to make possible a strategically planning of expansion of the offer for sugar cane and alcohol. And the chain of bio-diesel depends, as well as the Proalcohol in its genesis, on a subvention paradigm in its initial phase. Its future depends on the behavior of oil pri-ce and on the direction that the orchestra of interests around bio-diesel.

Eficiência da produção de cana‑de‑açúcar em duas safras no Estado de São Paulo

A conceptual framework for crop production efficiency was derived using thermodynamic efficiency concept, in order to generate a tool for performance evaluation of agricultural systems and to quantify the interference of determining factors on this performance. In Thermodynamics, efficiency is the ratio between the output and input of energy. To establish this relationship in agricultural systems, it was assumed that the input energy is represented by the attainable crop yield, as predicted through simulation models based on environmental variables. The method of FAOs agroecological zones was applied to the assessment of the attainable sugarcane yield, while Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) data were used as observed yield. Sugarcane efficiency production in Sao Paulo state was evaluated in two growing seasons, and its correlation with some physical factors that regulate production was calculated. A strong relationship was identified between crop production efficiency and soil aptitude. This allowed inferring the effect of agribusiness factors on crop production efficiency. The relationships between production efficiency and climatic variables were also quantified and indicated that solar radiation, annual rainfall, water deficiency, and maximum air temperature are the main factors affecting the sugarcane production efficiency.

Desafios da agroindústria canavieira no Brasil pós-desregulamentação: uma análise das capacidades tecnológicas

This paper aims to appraise the technological capabilities (LALL concept, 1992) of Brazilian sugarcane agroindustry for a sample of three leading production states: Sao Paulo, Parana and Minas Gerais. A field research survey with sugar and ethanol mills provides the primary data for assessing technological capabilities (39%, 40% and 35% of the units in Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais and Parana State, respectively, answered, which means approximately 32% of national production of sugarcane, sugar and ethanol). As a main finding, the sugarcane agroindustry, technically qualified and with low costs, presents an expressive domain of simple routine and adaptive duplicative technological capabilities. However, the advanced technological capabilities (innovative risky) are still lagging behind the technological frontier, especially in the innovation process and in the R&D.

Análise da Agroindústria Canavieira nos Estados do Centro-Oeste do Brasil a partir da Matriz de Capacidades Tecnológicas

This research analyzed the technological dynamics of the sugarcane agroindustry in the Midwest region in Brazil, through technological capabilities matrix. Primary data were collected from plants and distilleries by means of questionnaires (the results were: 100% of units in Mato Grosso State, 54.5%, in Mato Grosso do Sul and 50%, in Goias). As a corollary, it was observed that the sugarcane agroindustries from the three states dominate a great part of technological capabilities in basic and intermediate gradation. However, regarding advanced gradation, the lowest percentages of occurrences were observed in the three states mentioned before. Therefore, it is necessary that the agroindustry allocates its efforts to improve R&D, which will facilitate the creation of new technologies. Overall, it was found that Goias presented the highest technical concentration, standing out in relation to Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul in several profiles of the technological capabilities matrix.

Origens, Evolução e Tendências da Indústria de Máquinas Agrícolas

This paper aims to resume the agricultural machinery history and development, as well as their majors companies, in order to understand the current market structure and the prospects for their future. The first discussion is related to the importance of technical progress to compete in this environment. We study the competition and technical progress in this industry, focusing on technological trajectories and on collecting information from the literature about the development of this industry. The study concludes that the industry retains some differentiated oligopoly characteristics, with innovation and product differentiation as important competitive tools. Another key aspect is the global nature of this competition.

Evolution in Public Policies Designed to Develop the Sugar–Energy Industry in Brazil

Abstract This chapter shows the impact of public policies and the institutional framework for producing ethanol in Brazil. The first part is a literature review about the relevant historical facts and policies, and the evolution of sector performance. The main governmental measures in the sugar–energy industry over the 1930s, 1970s, and 1980s will be presented and described chronologically. There is also a brief review of the institutional changes that took place from 1990 onwards, with the deregulation of the sugarcane industry. The impacts of the modifying role of the State, and the beginning of self-regulation in the industry, will be discussed in this section. Finally, the last section discusses the evolution of the sugarcane industry in the free market environment following deregulation and price liberation, in addition to the challenges and key issues that should guide public policies directed to this sector, especially those associated with the production and the use of ethanol as a biofuel.

Avaliação Ex-post de Ato de Concentração na Indústria de Máquinas Agrícolas com o Uso de Séries Temporais1

This study analyses the structure of the market of agricultural tractors in Brazil and measures the impacts of concentration from the acquisition of Valtra by AGCO, the two larger companies in the local market, on the market power index (Lerner index). In order to do this, a demand function for agricultural tractors including intervention variables (dummies of intercept and slope) was conducted so that its parameters were used in the index. For this purpose, the methodology of Cointegration Analyses with a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) was used. The results indicate that the concentration was not reflected in significant changes in price elasticities. On the other hand, the Lerner index, which is high in level, increased considerably after the merger due to the market share gains of AGCO.