Unions form Paraná increase in 60% meat transportation through railways

In Brazil, highways carry three times more products than railways, even if the flow along the tracks is almost 30% cheaper, according to the National Confederation of Transport (CNT). In the city of Cascavel, west of Paraná, the Paraná West Railway (Ferroeste) is increasingly more active. In two years, meat transportation through trains has raised by 60%.

In 2013 the Central Union of Cotriguaçu was created on the city, gathering meat unions from the region. Since then the amount of containers shipped by the union to the Paranaguá port only increases. Each month, Cotriguaçu ships through the Ferroeste an average of 885 containers with 25 thousand tons of meat each.

During the first half of 2015, Ferroeste has transported 421 thousand tons of products. 25% of this was refrigerated cargo.
The President of Coopavel Cooperativa Agroindustrial (Agribusiness Union) Dilvo Groli states that each container shipped through highways costs 4 thousand of Reais. Through train, this value decreases to 1 thousand of Reais. The difference has helped to make products more competitive on foreign markets. “We have a railway that deserves better attention. It needs not only maintenance, but also the reconstruction of some sections. Still, it is the best option”, Groli highlights.

According to Cotriguaçu, 80% of the local unions’ production is transported through the railway and the increase of these numbers is expected. “Our projection is of 1.2 thousand of containers until the beginning of 2016”, the unit supervisor of Cotriguaçu, Edilson Vidal, states.