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The rural credit distribution presents a social characteristic of aid in income distribution and regional development. The State of Paraná is an important participant in national agriculture, with rural credit also presenting great relevance. As an example, in 2015 the state presented about 18% of the national rural credit, according to the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB). The aim of this article is to analyze the use of rural credit by municipalities in Paraná between 2013 and 2018 through a Regional Rural Credit Index (IRCR), generated from BCB data. The results indicate the existence of spatial autocorrelation in the allocation of rural credit in the municipalities examined, with concentration of rural credit in relative terms mainly around identified regional centers. This result highlights the great importance of the primary sector, especially for the areas of the interior of the State. The spatial concentration of rural credit also indicates the possible relevant action of rural cooperatives in the territory of Paraná. Finally, the work shows a great potential for expansion in the level of agricultural businesses in some regions of Paraná, such as the mesoregions of the Northwest and Central North. Both regions are composed of municipalities that contribute with the added value of the rural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the State, although presenting IRCR below the unit in the analyzed period, which indicates possible potential for expansion of the credit in the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]