Carlos Brandão talks about the importance of TPA and EF-317

The future Governor of Maranhão Carlos Brandão, citing here the importance of the Alcântara Port Terminal and the EF-317 to improve the flow of production and to generate work in Maranhão. 24/02/2022

Article translated:

“Once again, representing the governor Flávio Dino in an event outside the state, I could see the immense expectation that everyone has in relation to Maranhão. The work that has been done, especially mainly in the areas of education, health and personal people, is recognised by everyone. In this specific case, this demonstration was given to me during the national opening of the soybean harvest, which took place in the town of Sebastião Leal in the dear neighbouring state of Piauí. The entire structure was set up at the Progresso farm which, in this 21/22 harvest, has planted planted about 26,000 hectares of soybean. In fact, the projection is that that the state will harvest the the largest grain harvest in its history, as a result of investments that
expanded the planted area. There is no doubt that this is a trend.

The National National Supply (Conab) estimates an area cultivated in the country of 71.5 million hectares. Something around 3.6% higher than in the last harvest, which should represent about more 14% increase in the volume of grains harvested. In this context, soy soybean continues to be the highlight among crops. Here in Maranhão, we estimate a harvest of around 3.6 million tonnes of soya, which I use as an example because of the event in which I attended, organised by the Brazilian Association of Soybean producers (Aprosoja).
However, despite being the world’s largest producer of soybeans, other grains such as corn, wheat and rice make the country the fourth largest world’s grain producer and the second in grain exports,  supplying 19% of of the world market.

It is an immense potential that needs infrastructure to become even even stronger.
On this subject, I spoke to the producers. And there it is, too. There is also the great expectation in relation to
Maranhão. At our territory we already have the Carajás railway and the Itaqui Port, which is considered the
fourth largest public port port in the country and one of the main ports of the Arco Norte in soybean exports. In 2021, our port will register an increase of 23% in cargo movement based on the previous year.
And we are prepared to go further, especially after the start of operations of the second phase of the Maranhão  Grain Terminal (Tegram), in 2020, with capacity to handle 17 million tons of grains.

And we also have other other investments in which we strongly believe, mainly in order to facilitate the flow of
of production and for the generation of jobs: the new railways and the Alcântara Port Terminal (TPA) are good
good examples. The TPA with investments estimated at RS 10 billion and may represent – according to
preliminary studies – an 20% average increase in the Maranhão’s GDP and the creation of around 15 thousand new jobs at the beginning and to reach up to 40 thousand in 30 years. The new railways are beginning to materialize.

For Maranhão alone, there are already authorized about R$ 9,3 billion for the rehabilitation and construction
of railways, such as the Estreito/Balsas – with 245 km of extension and the Açailândia/Alcântara – 525 km long. They are projects and, above all encouraging numbers that have already left the level of dreams to be treated as a reality.

All this, together with the political and legal security that our state offers with institutions that are aware of
their responsibilities and that will always act as partners of the investments to improve the lives of our people.

I am very grateful to the state of Piauí and our soybean producers for the invitation was made to us. You can all be sure that our work will continue in the same direction. More opportunities will come and will be welcomed by young people who are already preparing themselves in educational units that the Flávio Dino government has built. A vision of the future united with the productive potential, for the growth of our state and our region.
And on these tracks, we will follow all together, for the good of Maranhão. You can trust us.”