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Lucas
do Rio Verde is located 220 miles north of Cuiabá, the state capital of
Mato Grosso and is one of Mato Grosso's major agricultural cities. Lucas has a population of 28,000 and has been growing at
18% per year over the past five years. Lucas has a strong German and Italian family
lineage to southern Brazil. Its inhabitants look like that of any small farm
town in the Central USA. As one eats pizza on a Saturday night in one of
the many restaurants that surround the central city park, one cannot help but
notice the tall, blonde blue eyed citizens of this very dynamic farm
community. The symbol of the city is that of an EMU. The locals will tell
you with great pride how it represents the pride of one's head held high and
its long legs symbolizing the fast forward progress of the development of
the region. The EMU will run ahead of the rest.
The County of
Lucas do Rio Verde planted 313,000 acres of soybeans in 1995. By 2003, the
expansion of planted area totaled 533,000 acres. The population of the city
has doubled the past 10 years. The city has a new hospital, five new
schools, a university, soccer field, five public swimming pools, and many
other public areas for recreation. The city is safe and the houses do not
have a protective wall or fence around them. Children walk home from
school without any concerns of crime. It is truly a mirror of small town
America.
The Region
receives between 80-90 inches of rainfall in an 8 month period starting in
September and ending in April. The 1st crop planted is generally Soybeans,
then a 2nd crop of Corn or Cotton is No-tilled in directly behind the
combines. During the January time frame one can literally see combines and
planters working in the same field together. For those that have invested
in irrigation systems, a 3rd crop is also planted. This crop is typically
edible beans.
This county
does not have any land left to be cleared. 80% of the county is in
production and 20% is left in reserve (natural forest). 600 feet along all
waterways also must be left in its natural habitat. The county is rapidly
developing vertically integrated Hog and Chicken Cooperatives. Lucas is
becoming a HUB of business activity for the southern part of the frontier.
Pioneers
continue to push father east and west from BR 163 in their quest for
cheaper land to clear.
The city of Lucas is now
severed by one commercial air carrier Monday through Friday with
connections to Cuiabá and
Sinop.
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