| Kory Melby BR Ag Consultant |
|
AG NOTES:
- Rio Verde, Goiás is the second largest producer of soybeans in Brazil. In 2022, Rio Verde produced 1.64 million tons of soybeans. This was an 11% increase from 2021. MORE
- 5th in the national ranking of agricultural production value, according to IBGE. (2020)
- Rio Verde is among the ten municipalities with the highest agricultural production value in Brazil. (2021)
- Rio Verde also shows strength in corn, with the third-highest production value (R$ 1.31 billion), and in soybeans, with the seventh (R$ 1.63 billion).
With more than 150,000 inhabitants - including urban and rural areas - Rio Verde, in southwest Goiás and central-west Brazil, occupies an area of 814,000 hectares. Geographically privileged, the municipality – which includes the districts of Riverlândia, Ouroana and Lagoa do Bauzinho – is located 220 km from Goiânia, 420 km from Brasília, in addition to being relatively close to large centers such as Uberlândia (335 km), in the Triângulo Mineiro, and São Paulo (921 km), whose access is facilitated, due to the two federal highways – BR 060 and BR 452 – and the three state highways – GO 174, GO 333 and GO 210 – that cross the Municipality. More than the geographical position, the climate in the 'capital' of agribusiness is also favorable and varies between 17° C and 29° C. Attracted by the vocation and strength of agribusiness, people from different regions of the country have migrated to Rio Verde in recent years, which contributed to the formation of a mixed population today. The presence of foreign families, who were grouped in colonies, is also notable among the 91% that make up the urban population of the City. They are Americans, Russians and Dutch who, for the most part, still maintain their religion, economic model, food and clothing customs. Economically, the data from Rio Verde are impressive. To give you an idea, its GDP in 2005 was R$ 2,757,780,000.00 and per capita income was R$ 20,428.00. According to an estimate by the Municipal Treasury Department, in the last six and a half years, the Municipality has been growing at an average of 28% of GDP, while Brazil grows at an average of less than 3%. Agriculture and Livestock in Rio Verde Agricultural and livestock activities began in Rio Verde in the mid-1950s, when some small-scale dairy, rice and coffee processing industries settled in the area. The products were still harvested in stump swiddens. The 1970s were marked by a more significant advance in the expansion of agricultural activities. During this period, one of the most important facts for the state's economy took place: Goiás Rural – an incentive given by the Government for the rational deforestation of the cerrado, until then an unproductive land, which did not generate income or taxes. At the same time, the Center Center should be highlighted, which promoted, through large financing, in exceptional conditions of interest rates and payment terms, agricultural activities. Still in the 70s, as a consequence of all these advances, the Cooperativa Mista dos Produtores do Sudoeste Goiano (COMIGO) appears, a milestone in the path of economic development that Rio Verde (GO) has followed. Agriculture began to flourish, waking up people from Rio Verde and attracting farmers from São Paulo and the southern region, who brought machinery, technologies, resources and experiences that contributed to the city emerging as one of the greatest frontiers of Brazilian agribusiness. Economic growth Economic growth based on the diversity of agribusiness can be seen in numbers. In 2004, Rio Verde was the 2nd largest collector of ICMS – the Tax on Circulation of Goods and Services – among Goiás municipalities. In 2006, 2007 and 2008, the Municipality was, again, among the largest ICMS collectors in Goiás, consolidating itself in the ranking. The economic indicators achieved by the model city in the southwest of the State have only been possible thanks to the support and sustainability of economic multiplicity in this growth. Principles that can be translated into non-dependence on a single or a few products and into respect and preservation of the environment, social equity and income distribution. Interconnected, both come to represent an important instrument for reducing risks and certifying the ability to add value. The main municipal economic base - agribusiness - also followed the same principles, proven in the diverse and extensive crops planted such as: soybeans, corn, cotton, sorghum, beans, rice, sunflower, wheat, tomatoes, coffee, various forages, among others. Crops follow a principle of rotation and are associated with state-of-the-art technologies, including direct planting, which has brought environmental advantages by promoting direct and rational protection of natural resources, notably soil and water.