Geographical distribution of the sugarcane industries in the state of São Paulo: market structure and bargaining power

Abstract

Sugarcane is present in Brazilian economic history since colonization. She was, for nearly two centuries, the main export product and under which the economy was based. Brazil was the largest producer and exporter of sugar, but this situation was threatened by the development of other producer countries. In the first half of the nineteenth century, the Brazilian government adopted a centralized position, intervening directly in the sectors of the economy, including the sugar and alcohol sector. In 1933 he created the Institute of Sugar and Alcohol would be responsible for controlling all aspects of this sector. Changes that occurred in the 1970s, directly impacted the industry. After the "oil shock" in 1973, the Brazilian government adopts policies for the expansion and development of this sector, aiming to stimulate the production of ethanol to substitute for petroleum. At this point, the state of Sao Paulo has demonstrated a growth rate above the rest of the industry, gaining importance and becoming the most important state for sugar and ethanol activity in the country. Given the importance of the state of Sao Paulo for this sector, the job search through this explanatory research using secondary data and literature review, identify and analyze the classification of the market structure of the sugarcane agro-industries in the state of Sao Paulo, considering the driving distance between them, in other words, the area of operation for the acquisition of sugarcane, in 2008. This analysis will also contribute to the identification of the bargaining power of sugarcane industries in the acquisition transaction of sugarcane.(AU)