Technological degree characterization of silkworm producers in the Parana territory Center/ Caracterizacao do grau tecnologico dos sericicultores no territorio Parana Centro

The goal of this research was to characterize the technological degree of silkworm producers and to infer the types of interventions to be employed to increase productivity in 17 localities in the central region of Parana State, Southern Brazil, which has the lowest Human Development Index (HDI). The original data of 2004/2005 season from green cocoons production taken from the company Fiacao de Seda Bratac S. A. and submitted to multivariate statistical analysis of Principal Components. This technique allowed to choose four eigenvalues of 21 original variables and thus to use the new set to perform a descriptive analysis of the data. The four components selected were capacity/intensity of production, quality of production, efficiency in the use of the area and financial return of the property. Due to the large volume of information, Cluster analysis was performed for the components of the 565 producers, resulting in four groups of similar characteristics. The analysis of group of producers enabled the observation of two main contrasts. One part of groups presented producers with greater capacity and quality of cocoon production in the property, and other include producers who exploit their productive area inefficiently.