Truck driver

ECO123: We would like to know a bit more about your work. Do you transport eucalyptus?
Driver: Yes.

Is the eucalyptus going to the factory in Setúbal?
These ones are going to Setúbal.

To make what?
Those are to make cellulose, pulp, paper.

How much money do you get per tonne?
A tonne for the producer?

Yes.
42, 43 euros. At the factory.

The factory pays.
They pay, once it’s there.

And how many tonnes do you transport?
It depends on the wood. The vehicle’s maximum is 30 tonnes.

Does a eucalyptus forest pay well?
Here and now, cellulose is not bad. It still pays. For example, if you’re going to do construction work, it doesn’t pay. If you’re going to do the infrastructure part on roads, the government doesn’t pay. Not with this, you take the product to the factory and after 15, 20 days you get your money. Guaranteed payment – the factory doesn’t end up owing money. It pays straight away or gives bank guarantees. You get to the end of the month and the factory pays straight away. Or not even the end of the month.

But eucalyptus trees are not very good for the environment, are they?
it’s possible they dry out the land a lot. I think that a piece of land planted with eucalyptus, after pulling out the eucalyptus trees, for about ten years it’s possible it won’t produce anything else. The soil has everything sucked out of it, it gets very …

And eucalyptus burns well?
Yes, it burns very well.

Do we think about wood when we look at a forest? Forest means trees which mean wood which mean money?
Yes, eucalyptus is worth money, but not pine. Eucalyptus is worth something, sometimes five euros more or five euros less… Now it’s worth the most. In a year it’ll come down a bit. Then it will go up a bit depending on need, depending on the factory’s stocks. The factories play with their stocks.

Is the truck yours?
Yes.

Could you tell me your name?
Pedro.

How old are you?
42.

Thank you for talking to us.