SUGARCANE EXPANSION AND AGRARIAN STRUCTURE IN THE STATE OF SAO PAULO (BRAZIL) BETWEEN 1975 AND 2006

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of sugarcane expansion in Sao Paulo, from 1975 to 2006, on the agrarian structure for the state, regarding the usage and concentration of land, technology together with social and work relations. Data from the IBGE's Agricultural Census were used, aggregated by state and by different sizes of agricultural establishments. The sugarcane expansion implied a growth in the concentration of land and establishments over 1,000 hectares. In those establishments, which 65% of the area with sugarcane in 2006 was, 95% of people are legally employed. In establishments under 50 hectares, the family labor was predominant. From 1996 to 2006, the number of people employed in agriculture in Sao Paulo fell considerably. More establishments came to be administrated by agents and increased the area under lease by the state. The definition of an agricultural establishment of the Census underestimates the land concentration in the sugarcane regions.