town, east-central Paraná estado (state), southeastern Brazil. Ponta Grossa is located on a plateau at an elevation of 2,930 feet (893 m). It serves as a commercial centre, exporting maté (tea), timber, soy, corn, tobacco, rice, bananas, and xarque (jerked beef) through the Atlantic ports of Antonina and Paranaguá, and as a distribution centre of goods coming from the interior of the state through Curitiba, the capital. It is also a rail and road centre for pig raising and lumbering activities. The town's industries include meatpacking; fertilizers; lard, coffee, and maté processing; and sawmilling and woodworking. Ponta Grossa is the site of the State University of Ponta Grossa (1970) and of a government agricultural experimental station. It has an airport and a football (soccer) stadium. Pop. (2005 est.) 292,600.