Suzano started setting up a pulp mill in 2021; works involve 10,000 people
Initially a village formed by miners from the region of Uberaba, as well as Campo Grande, Ribas do Rio Pardo celebrates this Sunday 79 years of political emancipation. The city, 100 kilometers from the Capital, receives the largest private investment in Mato Grosso do Sul, the construction of a pulp mill by Suzano, with an estimated cost of 19.3 billion, and experiences strong impacts with the arrival of the giant.
In 2021, when the work began, the IBGE indicated a population of around 25,000 inhabitants, although the city hall believes that it will approach 30,000 people. Ribas saw the peaceful routine changed with the beginning of the works on the factory. There was a boom in jobs, an intense migration of people, a surge in demand for real estate, with rising rents, and an urgent need for logistics, such as health and housing. With the increase in rental prices, many people had to leave their homes and move to precarious housing.
The city launched a public notice to receive, on the 20th, Monday, proposals for projects for a series of works, such as paving, drainage, signaling and paving. In February, the mayor, João Alfredo Danieze (PSOL) informed the report that he received an estimate that R$ 150 million would be needed for the necessary actions for Ribas to gain adequate infrastructure. With the projects in hand, he said he intended to seek support from the State and the Union.
The State Government already offers support, it was the first city that Governor Eduardo Riedel (PSDB) visited after taking office. Recovery of back roads is one of the services sent. With such a large perimeter – the city has an area of 17.3 kilometers, more than twice that of Campo Grande – keeping roads in good condition is a challenge, mainly because rural activity is intense, with livestock and forests.
The city hall needed to expand the number of doctors, hospital care and the education network. There was an increase in demand, but also in revenue. In 2020, current revenues amounted to R$124.1 million, with ISS contributing R$6.5 million; in 2022, revenue almost doubled, reaching 239.6 million and ISS totaling R$ 36.7 million. This year alone, the tax on services reached R$ 9.4 million.
Suzano estimated to bring together 10,000 people working in the city at the height of construction. The company informed that it will allocate R$ 48 million to help with logistics and social projects in the city.
Among the investments mentioned are support for the construction of housing (the company will make a set for its own employees); for the production of food by settlers; incentive to education and professional qualification; expansion of the city hospital, which will have 10 ICU beds (the company will equip six) and more simple beds and a new interchange. Suzano informed that it signed three terms of commitment, one of them related to the City Hall and involving R$ 27.2 million; one with the PRF (Federal Highway Police), representing R$ 4.7 million, for infrastructure, vehicle and communication services; and another, with Public Security, of R$ 16 million, for the structure of the Civil and Military Police, with renovations, equipment and vehicles.
So much transformation should stabilize in the second half of 2024, when the factory starts operating and producing pulp, with 3,000 employees. Suzano informed that it intends that most of the workers in the forests and industry be residents of Ribas and region.