PROFITABILITY OF BROOMCORN BROOM PRODUCTION (Sorghum bicolor (L.) MOENCH)

Broom craftsmanship from native and cultivated plants dry straw is a long tradition for small farmers families. In Goiás State the producers use the native cerrado palm Syagrus sp., but its availability is rapidly decreasing. In southern Brazil broomcorn brooms are traditional. Experiments carried o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pesquisa agropecuária tropical 2000-01, Vol.30 (1), p.97
Main Authors: Alves Martins Farias, Gabriella Aparecida, Farias, João Gaspar, de Noronha, José Ferreira
Format: Article
Language:eng ; por
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Summary:Broom craftsmanship from native and cultivated plants dry straw is a long tradition for small farmers families. In Goiás State the producers use the native cerrado palm Syagrus sp., but its availability is rapidly decreasing. In southern Brazil broomcorn brooms are traditional. Experiments carried out in Goiás have demonstrated good agronomic adaptability of broomcorn, making it a possible substitute for Syagrus. This research describes broomcorn farming systems in the states of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), São Paulo (SP) e Goiás (GO). Four cases were studied, in 1997 and 1998, through direct interviews with farmers and updated in 1999. The net margins over operation average cost were 92, 102, 100, and 59%, for RS, SP, GO (broomcorn), and GO (Syagrus), respectively. KEY-WORDS: Sorghum bicolor; family agriculture; craft; broomcorn; brooms.
ISSN:1983-4063