Abstract
The objective of this study was to analyze the structure and conjuncture of the buffalo breeding tendency in the state of Pará, in order to generate relevant information for decision-making of farmers involved in the activity, as well as to guide public policies to stimulate the development sector of Pará’s economy in Brazilian Amazon. The study was conducted using secondary data, collected from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC), Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), Central Bank of Brazil (BACEN) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on the herd, production, price and financing granted to buffalo breeding. The Brazilian buffalo herd is concentrated in the northern region of the country, with 66.15% of the total herd, particularly in the state of Pará, which participates with 37.90% of the Brazilian herd, constituting the largest producing state in Brazil. In this state, the activity is concentrated in the Marajó meso-regions and in the Lower Amazon. In addition, it was found that the volume of rural credit granted to buffalo herd projects, fluctuated from 1995 to 2015, concentrating in the period from 2004 to 2007, stimulated by the expansion of cattle raising at pasture due to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), a disease triggered in Europe over that period.
Highlights
The domestic buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is a native species from the Asian continent and taken to Africa, Europe, Oceania, and to America (Damé, 2006)
The Brazilian buffalo herd is mainly concentrated in the northern region of the country, with 66.15% of the total herd distributed among the Mediterranean, Murrah, Jafarabadi and Carabao breeds (Lourenço Júnior; Garcia, 2008; IBGE, 2018)
This study analyzed the structure and market conjuncture of buffalo breeding in the state of Pará, in the Brazilian Amazon, as a way to contribute with information for decision-making of farmers involved in the activity, as well as to guide public policies to encourage the sector development in the “Paraense” economy
Summary
The domestic buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is a native species from the Asian continent and taken to Africa, Europe, Oceania, and to America (Damé, 2006). For the continuous sustainable use of this species, it is necessary to improve productivity and focus on the breeds conservation and improvement, as a global resource (Thiruvenkadan et al, 2013). These animals show significant adaptability to different environmental conditions, high fertility and productive longevity, which allowed the buffalo breeding present high socioeconomic importance in Brazil. The activity shows relevant production characteristics in relation to dairy production, because its nutritional value and industrial yield are considered better than the cow's milk This food stands out for its high content of vitamins A, D and B2, low cholesterol, besides having 47% more protein and 14% more minerals than cow's milk, a higher yield of derivatives (butter, cheese and sweets). The meat is more nutritious and healthy than cow’s meat, showing 40% less cholesterol, 12 times less fat, 55% less calories, 11% more protein and 10% more minerals (Amaral; Escrivão, 2005)
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