ABSTRACT
This study analyzed the degree of concentration in worldwide exports of forest products in the period ranging from 1961 to 2008. The data used are available at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The concentration was determined by the concentration ratio [HR (k)], the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), Theil Entropy Index (E) and the Gini index (G). The main conclusions were: The aggregate Brazilian share in the world exports of forest products is increasing over time; the most important sectors in the aggregate world exports of forest products, in decreasing order, were pulp, lumber, paper and cardboard, wooden panels, saw and fire wood. According to Bain, the concentration ratio of the four and eight largest exporters of forest products is moderately low; the HHI and Theil Entropy (E) show a reduction in the concentration of world exports of forest products and greater competition among the countries that sell such products; the Gini index indicates that despite the increase in export of forest products over the period of analysis, a smaller number of competitors concentrate increasingly larger shares of international exports of these products; summary indices (HHI, E and G) indicated that increased competition has not led to a more equitable distribution of forest products so as to bring down inequalities and concentration of profits in the sector; despite the downward trend in CR (4) and CR (8), there is an increase in G, probably because the economies of scale in the international trade have been held by few competitors; caution is recommended in the analysis of summary indices (HHI, E and G) which had better be checked jointly with the partial indices [CR (k)] in order to avoid wrong conclusions; countries with a significant share in total exports, such as Brazil, should seek business strategies to retain competitive advantages, especially those arising from economies of scale.
Keywords:
forest economy; industrial concentration; international market