Potential for Revenue Collection with Land Tenure Regularization in Pará

Cardoso, D., Brito, B., Baima, S. & Siqueira, J. 2018. The state of the Amazon: Potential for Revenue Collection with Land Tenure Regularization in Pará (p. 14). Belém: Imazon.
The low amounts charged for selling public land in land tenure regularization proceedings in the Brazilian Amazon may encourage new invasions of unallocated public areas, given that such low prices create expectations of profit through sale of the properties later on. Pará is one of the Amazon states exposed to this risk, since about 38% of its territory lacks land tenure definition and has been the target for crimes of invasion and illegal sales of public land.
In this issue of The State of the Amazon, we estimate the potential for collection with land tenure regularization in the state using two scenarios: prices currently charged by the Land Institute of Pará (Instituto de Terras do Pará – Iterpa) and land market prices.
We conclude that the amount charged by Iterpa is nine time less than the market value. Therefore, Pará needs to increase the amount charged for land tenure regularization in order to discourage occupation of new public areas, was well as to increase income collection by the State government to invest in ending land tenure uncertainty.
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