One can even discuss the type and degree of State interference in a nation, but its importance to the development of any economy is undeniable, either as an inducer of development or as a guarantor of the rules and regulations in question. The objective of this study was to analyze the efficiency of the Brazilian State in creating a competitive environment for softwood businesses. The analysis was based on the perceptions of entrepreneurs of this segment using Boxplot graph and nonparametric Mann-Whitney test as analytical tools. The results minimized problems related to the lack of wood and energy, and identified the following as critical points: scarcity of labor and credit, poor transport infrastructure, and training in human resources.
mechanical processing; forest economy; competitiveness; Pinus spp