Arauco's new plant in Brazil will have a forest base of up to 420,000 hectares

With more than 80% of the works completed, Arauco's Sucuriú Project is advancing in Inocência, in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, to become the largest pulp mill in the world built in a single phase. But the scale of the project begins before the industrial facility: in the forests that will provide the raw material and in a management model that integrates productivity, environmental conservation and responsible use of natural resources.

To supply the plant, Arauco is assembling a forest base of up to 420,000 hectares in Mato Grosso do Sul. The plantations are established in areas already transformed by human activity, previously used for cattle ranching or agriculture.

To ensure the productivity of these crops, the company maintains a eucalyptus genetic improvement program focused on the climatic conditions of Mato Grosso do Sul. The program is the result of years of field evaluations and genetic testing, which allow the selection of clones with high productivity, adaptability and resilience to the region's conditions.

Another initiative is the adoption of biological control of eucalyptus pests. "Although we are at an early stage of this method, the results are encouraging and we hope to expand the use of biological pest controllers as much as possible. The use of solutions like this is fully in line with the company's commitment to operate sustainably," said Ricardo Austin, Arauco's forestry director.

During the seventh edition of the HDOM Summit, the program will include an executive conversation about the Sucuriú Project, titled "Progress, challenges and next steps," with the participation of the company's president, Carlos Altimiras.

Source:Economics