Resumo. The general objective of this study is to evaluate the demand for timber from the sawmills and to analyze the financial feasibility of establishing a forest base that meets the idle processing capacity. The study was conducted in the central portion of Rio Grande do Sul state, comprising 13 municipalities that constitute the Rio Pardo watershed. Data collection was done through interviews with farmers and sawmill owners. The sawmills of the region were evaluated as to their timber consumption and installed capacity, respectively amounting to 7,005 m3.month-1 and 12,330 m3.month-1, with an idle capacity of approximately 63,900 m3.year-1. The supply of 30,336 m3.year-1 is carried out by suppliers from other regions. This shows the need for 1,836 hectares for meeting the annual demand. The replacement of raw material imports and a better use of the idle capacity would translate into the creation of 55 jobs in forest production activities and 471 jobs in the industries. According to the financial analysis by Monte Carlo Method, the annual income generated by the enterprise would reach approximately R$ 1,756,347.00, corresponding to a harvest area estimated at 122.40 hectares, across the municipalities of the region.