Soybean production in Cachoeira do
Sul has been expanding constantly over the
pastyears.In2006,theplantedareareached
48 thousand hectares, resulting into 81,600
tons of the oilseed in this municipality in
Rio Grande do Sul, located in the central de-
pression. For the 2016/17 growing season,
the projection is for a planted area of 140
thousandhectares andaharvest of approxi-
mately 437,340 tons, according to estimates
by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and
Statistics (IBGE). Based in the municipality
for 10 years, Granol has lent a decisive con-
tribution to the development of soy farming
in the national rice capital.
The industrial unit, installed on an area of
84 hectares, along the margins of the Jacuí
River, is currently producing biodiesel, soy-
beanmealandmultipurposeglycerin.Accord-
ing to administrative manager Talis Roberto
Treichel, the annual turnover of the industrial
complex in the city amounts to 450 thousand
tons of soybean, with a daily production ca-
pacity of 900 thousand liters of biodiesel and
75 tons of glycerin. “Production keeps pace
withmarketdemand”,heexplains.
The official explains that, although no di-
rect relation can be determined between the
expansionof soybean fields inCachoeira dos
Sul and thearrival of Granol, thecontribution
of the company towards the agricultural ac-
tivity is becoming more and more evident.
A major factor that encourages the farmers
to grow the crop consists in the fact that the
company has assumed the obligation topur-
chase the entire crop, along with the soaring
value of the cereal and the receding ricemar-
ket.“Granol’ssolidstatusinducesthefarmers
to trust the company”, he says.
Furthermore, Treichel clarifies that, as
per a rule established by the Biodiversity
Research Program (PNBio), of the feder-
al government, 35% of the soybean trans-
formed into biodiesel in Rio Grande do Sul
must mandatorily come from family farm-
ing operations, which are entitled to re-
ceive free technical assistance from the
company and a bonus over the soybean
price – an amount defined jointly with the
family farming unions.
In the urban area, Granol has contrib-
uted towards economic development, and
it is now one of the biggest private compa-
nies in town. Besides the 400 direct jobs, it
drives the creation and expansion of differ-
ent enterprises. Valued Added Tax returns
have brought millions of dollars to the cof-
fers of the municipal administration over
thepast years. “Now, thecompany isheldas
a reference to the city, but we believe that
there should be more industries operat-
ing in Cachoeira do Sul, in order to channel
other economic alternatives”, he argues.
Asbigas the
world
Inor Ag. Assmann
For10yearsnow,Granolhasbeendrivingforwardthe
productionof soybeaninCachoeiradoSul,andthemunicipality
isrecognizedallover theCountryfor itsagriculture
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