Land concentration and retraction in the municipality of Machado

agrarian history and coffee farming (MG, 1855-1960)

Abstract

This article analyzes the agrarian history and evolution of coffee cultivation in the municipality of Machado, in southwestern Minas Gerais, between 1855 and 1960. Initially established as a cattle trading center focused on domestic supply, the region used the capital generated by this activity to finance the transition to coffee cultivation. The expansion of coffee cultivation occurred significantly after the 1860s, driven by increased international demand and the arrival of railroads. The study shows that, although production was initially modest compared to pioneering regions, it became concentrated on large estates. Analysis of the land structure reveals dynamics of concentration and deconcentration. After the crises that shook the global coffee economy, combined with the national economic situation, land concentration began to change. At the turn of the century, the first major recession occurred. However, the crisis of 1929, which lasted until the end of World War II for coffee farming, was a decisive milestone in land fragmentation. With the resumption of economic growth after World War II, there was a return to the trend of concentration. However, a new coffee price crisis in the late 1950s changed this picture again. In this article, I present an interpretation of these variations based on a reading of local agrarian history.