Economic potential of Eucalyptus spp. plantations in Livestock–Forest Integration systems (iLF) in the Amazon

Abstract

The search for profitable and sustainable alternatives for production in the Amazon directs attention to Livestock–Forest Integration Systems (iLF), which may present, depending on the species used, high economic viability. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the economic feasibility of establishing different hybrids of Eucalyptus spp. in a Livestock–Forest Integration system (iLF). The study was conducted at Fazenda União, located in the municipality of Pimenta Bueno, state of Rondônia, in an area of nine hectares. Three scenarios were proposed: scenario 1 (C1) and scenario 2 (C2), with rotations of four years and seven years, with the assortment destined for energy biomass, and scenario 3 (C3), ten years, destined for structural timber. The program SisILPF_Eucalipto was used to estimate production. The economic criteria used were: Benefit–Cost Ratio (B/C); Net Present Value (NPV); and Internal Rate of Return (IRR). A sensitivity analysis was performed by applying three different annual interest rates: 7.44%, 8.50%, and 12.90%. The establishment cost was R$3,211.28 ha⁻¹, with estimated production for C1, C2, and C3 of 81.14 st ha⁻¹, 184.86 st ha⁻¹, and 261.43 st ha⁻¹, respectively. Thus, the economic evaluation criteria applied to all scenarios were viable, regardless of the interest rate used, with C3 demonstrating higher economic returns. Therefore, these analyses provide support for the development of this type of enterprise in the region and state, being important to motivate producers, identifying potential returns and encouraging the adoption of silvicultural practices.