O circuito espacial de produção e os círculos de cooperação do sisal no semiárido paraibano: o município de Pocinhos-PB em destaque

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to analyze the spatial circuit of sisal production taking the city of Pocinhos, located in the semi-arid region of Paraíba, as a starting point. Sisal (Agave Sisalana perrine) is a semixerophilous species of intertropical origin (Mexico), and Brazil is the largest producer and exporter of its main product, the textile fiber, with the state of Paraíba as the second largest national producer. Historically, several cities from Paraíba were developed economically from the sisal production, such as Pocinhos, a city that is resilient in the cultivation of this plant in the region, characterizing itself as one of the main producers of the fiber in the state. Based on the theories of spatial production circuits and cooperation circles (SANTOS, 1986, 2008), we set out to understand the material and immaterial dynamics of this culture, which in recent decades, despite its relevance, has been experiencing decline. Taking this into consideration, the methodology consisted of the use of the following techniques: survey and bibliographical research on the theme addressed; collection and analysis of statistical data; fieldwork; semi-structured interviews with the main agents of the circuit. As a result of the research, we verified, from a historical perspective, the introduction of sisal, its dissemination in the semi-arid region of Paraíba through the spacetime variable, and we listed the main internal and external factors for such development. In addition, we present the sisal production process, which ranges from pre-production to final consumption of the product, highlighting the main variables in the circuit. In the spatial circuit of sisal production, we could find that the city of Pocinhos, given the context of the territorial division of labor, participates in this process through the development of the initial stages of the circuit, which would be the production itself, the first processing of the fiber in the field (defibering) and also of second processing in the city space (beating), as well as in the first distribution and commercialization stage of this product, either locally or statewide. We also highlight some vertical integrations, in the aforementioned city, although to a lesser extent when compared to the actions that it takes place in the last links of the circuit, which are distribution, commercialization and consumption abroad, a space of greater verticalization, and the absence of what would be important circles of cooperation in production. At the end of the research, we still consider that, currently, within the scope of the Globalization process, even in cultivations that do not use modern production techniques, for example, the sisal, inevitably, its production uses variables such as science, technology and the information in several other circumstances throughout its production process.