You may be asking “What is the catch?”  This is good potential farm land.  This land is natural grasslands but can easily be developed into productive farmland.  Only 20% of the arable land in Brazil is being cultivated at present and less than 10% in the State of Tocantins. The soil and growing conditions are very similar to Southern Florida.  Local farmers currently use nearby land for grazing, growing citrus fruit and row crops including soybeans, castor beans, corn and cotton.   Local people grow many of the same vegetables in their gardens that we are familiar with in the USA.  There is plenty of rainfall and a long growing season.      

Q:  Can foreigners (non-Brazilian citizens) own property in Brazil?

Yes, foreigners are permitted to own property outright in Brazil. Also, foreigners have the same property rights as Brazilians and will obtain a free & clear title to the property. It is no different than owning real estate in Europe or the U.S.   Brazil is quickly becoming the world-leader in attracting foreign investment and immigration. There are literally millions of foreign nationals in Brazil who own property and businesses.  There is no risk since property ownership is guaranteed by the Constitution for Brazilians and foreigners.  Land ownership is in perpetuity and always includes full mineral and water rights, since these cannot be separated from the land in Brazil.  Title insurance is available from a USA based title company.    

In addition to land purchase prices, there will be some other closing costs which will include deed conveyance fees payable to the government, surveyor fees, and documentation fees. The total cost for all these fees will be less than 10% of the price of the property. These closing costs will be due at closing.

Area Description

Unlike nearby Western Bahia state, SE Tocantins has seen little development. W. Bahia, with similar climatic and agronomic conditions as SE Tocantins, today (along with Matto Grosso) is the most developed agricultural area of frontier states, with highly productive farms, fertile soils (after correction) and conducive economic environment for agriculture. City of Louis Eduardo Manghales, center of farming activity of W. Bahia, is only about 120 km away from this farm. Farmers from south of Brazil, and American/Europeans discovered the area, and run very profitable farms, growing soybeans, beans, corn, rice, cotton, coffee. While climatic and agronomic prerequisites in SE Tocantins are similar with W. Bahia, uncleared land in W. Bahia is very expensive, while uncleared land in SE Tocantins is cheap and overlooked by prospective investors. Today SE Tocantins remains largely undeveloped. Ninety percent of land in my estimation is uncleared/unused. The rivers here are of exceptional natural beauty, and largely overlooked by Brazilians. Its only a matter of time before farmers and tourists discover the area and pave the way for a land boom of Matto Grosso and W. Bahia.

Description of town.....20km (12 miles) away, Rio do Conseicao (Conseption River), pop. 2000. Brand new highway was built to connect this town at the end of the line. There is very little traffic. Town has all the basic necessities: two schools, medical clinic,- school and clinic are free; supermarket, a couple of restaurants and bars, land phone line, cell phone coverage; no landline internet though, nor is there a gas station. Satellite internet service is available in even the most remote locations in Brazil, but it is expensive. Satellite internet service costs about $100 a month. A simple home can be bought for about US$10,000. In center of town, there is a river, Manuel Alves, with a rock beach; water is shallow, clean, and fast; beautiful waterfalls are just behind the bridge. On Sundays the whole town comes to this riverfront plaza.

Dianopolis, a town of 20,000, is 40km (25 miles) from this farm. This town has everything, including modem and DSL internet access.

Farm description.....Brazilian owner made available this 7500 acre farm to be sold in smaller parcels, 50, 100, 200 acre interior parcels, and 1.5 acre riverfront residential lots. A purchaser of a back parcel will have two choices for river access. There is small area allocated for public use; purchase a separate riverfront lot, some one mile distant from parcel. Scenery is of gently undulating grassland/scrubland, with view of mesas, and of a distant W. Bahia escarpment. Scenery is not unlike that of Arizona, but with 1500mm annual precipitation. Vegetation, sorry looking shrubs and sparse grasses. Recurring wildfires seem to have stunted shrub growth. It seems as though, to clear this land, one would only need a pass with a disc.

Access.....A 12km wide sand road leads to this farm from a paved highway. To get to the farm you will need: 4x4, or...pick-up, high suspension FWD, motorbike, or horse/burro. Access to lots within the farm, a tractor or other farm vehicle will easily override the terrain/vegetation. All lots have passage easements. Riverfront lots have 8 meter passage easement, for all to enjoy. Unfortunately, you will not be able to drive or ship any of your cars, motorcycles, trucks, or farm tractors from the USA to Brazil. Brazil is a major manufacturer of motor vehicles. The world's largest Volkswagen production facility is located in Brazil, plus many other car, truck, and tractor companies are also located in Brazil. Brazil has strict import quotas and restrictive tariffs to discourage imported motor vehicles. If you buy property in Brazil and move here, you are allowed one household move, duty free and tariff free. It would be financially beneficial for you to take advantage of this generous allowance because normally all imported goods are subject to stiff import taxes. However, you may not include any motor vehicles in the household move. It would be best to just sell your motor vehicles where they are, and buy new ones in Brazil. The importation of your new or used motor vehicles into Brazil would be prohibitively expensive and problematic.

Soil, is acid, low PH, quartzenic; sandy soil requires much less lime application than clay soil; white color on top, then several inches of gray sand with some organic matter, undersoil has a peach color. To correct fertility of this soil, 2 tons of limestone added to a hectare, and 800kg of fertilizer. I have observed local ranchers growing in their gardens: bananas, cassava/manioc, lemons, oranges, papayas, coconuts, cashews, mango, -without any soil correction.  A wide variety of tropical fruits, nuts, spices, and other crops can be grown in this tropical area.  Tropical Plants

This soil, as is, would be well suited for rice. Rice has a high domestic price.  This soil is well suited to grow castor beans (mamona) with no soil correction.  Mamona have 40% oil content and are used in Brazil for oil extraction to produce commercial grade bio-diesel fuel.  These beans will grow in any soil, as is!

Reforestation. Eucalyptus trees, southern pine, teak, and bamboo, - will grow in this soil as is, and are fast growing, can be cut in as little as 5 years, an acre will yield about 500 trees, can be used locally for fence posts, and beams.

Grasses/cattle. Existing natural grasses are sparse and not liked much by cows. Seeded grass, one variety I saw in Tocantins, 'brachiaria', grows over 6 feet tall. Otherwise, land as is, can be grazed by sheep and goats.

By state law, 35% of this land needs to be left in native state. This rule though, seems to be widely disregarded.

Property taxes & Title:

Property taxes, - no property taxes are applicable to these properties at this time.
The type of Deed on these properties, is "posse" Deed, or "possessor", does not call for property taxes. This type of Deed, will allow you full legal possession privileges, -selling, renting, and subdividing.

However, you will not be able to borrow against the land from Brazilian banks. To get a, "Escritura Publica" Deed, one has to make improvements, like building a fence, home, or other like improvements on land, including cultivation, and for a nominal fee one can apply for a "Escritura Publica" Deed. You can borrow money from Brazilian banks with an "Escritura Publica" Deed. The land will also be subject to property taxes when deeded as "Escritura Publica." Fortunately property taxes are very low in this area. Annual property taxes on a rural property here valued at $50,000 USD would be in the vicinity of $50 USD.

Altitude, about 750 meters at higher elevation of farm, allowing for coffee plantation.

Rivers in SE Tocantins, like I never seen before, are of exceptional natural beauty. River on this farm, Manuel Alvinho. About 10m wide, 1.5m deep; current, 5km/hour; small fish. One waterfall, several rapids. Water clarity, excellent. The river banks are of pink sand, and pink sandbars with palms, making for exceptionally attractive scenery. This farm has a waterfall, about 30 feet high, and several small rapids. You have to see the pictures, or visit, to believe. There are several springs along riverfront. Some riverfront spots are of waterlogged, but firm sand. Water from higher elevations percolates slowly down into the valley, feeding the river year-round. These perpetually wet sands would make for a unique irrigated field, making for unusual plantations. The best riverfront lots are high and dry. Well water, depending distance from the river, from 5m to 60m deep. Highest vs. lowest elevation on farm, I estimate about 150 feet difference.

There is a 'pion', farm worker, who lives nearby, and he keeps an eye on this farm.

Climate. Rains a lot for 5-6 months, October to April. Rains hard for about an hour every, every other day. Then sunny. Annual precipitation about 1500mm, which about the same amount of rainfall as Florida usually receives.  Dry period, May to October, rains little or not at all. Temperature, no difference winter to summer. Daytime average highs, 29C (84F); nighttime average lows, 19C (66F).  This land is located in the tropics, but is in the Brazilian Highlands so it is not so terribly hot and humid here.  The year round temperature in SE Tocantins is similar to the temperature in Hawaii.


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