Potential Activities

• Beekeeping
• Fruit Farming
• Aquiculture
• Metalwork/Mechanics
• Handicrafts
• Sheep and Goat Farming
• Civil Construction
• Textiles and Clothes Manufacturing
• Leather and Footwear
• Tourism

Integrated Development Cluster – Lower Jaguaribe

The Lower Jaguaribe Cluster is located in the Semi-Arid area of Ceará State, encompassing the municipalities of Aracati, Icapuí, Itaiçaba, Jaguaruana, Limoeiro do Norte, Morada Nova, Palhano, Quixeré, Russas, São João do Jaguaribe and Tabuleiro do Norte with a total area of 9,989.6 km² and 345,669 inhabitants.

In these municipalities, fruit farming predominates, especially papaya, bananas, melon, coconut, Caribbean cherry, grape, guanabana, guava, ata fruit and lemons. There are also areas for cultivation of grains and vegetables as well as livestock farming.

In terms of production, the Cluster has been noted for having introduced important public irrigation projects, including the Morada Nova Project with 3,600 hectares, the Jaguaribe/Apodi Project with 5,000 hectares and the Tabuleiros de Russas Project with 10,600 hectares. In addition, other large-scale private irrigation projects have been set up in the Cluster.

The existence of abundant labor, the enterprising nature of producers, mobilization of communities, climate and availability of natural resources (soil and water) are factors which attract agro-industries and the inputs market.

Although there is no railway network, the region is served by Highway BR116. The first 45 km of this highway are being widened, which will further assist the flow of vehicles.

The Cluster has expanding telecommunications services, with a large part of the area already covered by mobile phone operators. There is ready availability of power and an airport with structure for large-scale airplanes. There are hospitals, schools for basic and middle-level education and a technology center which trains technicians to meet the needs of the Cluster.

Great business opportunities arise for manufacture and retail of machinery and equipment, sale of fuel, production and retail of packaging, production and retail of agricultural chemicals, production of seedlings, packing houses, juice industries, candy, fruit pulp, concentrates, wholesalers, transporters, trading companies and others.

The cluster also has several other activities with a high potential for business, with specialized consulting services, project designers and technical support, mechanic’s workshops, specialized courses for rural activities and agroindustry as well as agricultural trading and agribusiness logistics. 

Integrated Development Cluster – Cariri Region of Ceará

The Cariri Cluster occupies an area of 6,342.3 km² corresponding to the municipalities of Abaiara, Barbalha, Brejo Santo, Crato, Jardim, Juazeiro do Norte, Mauriti, Milagres, Missão Velha, Porteiras and Santana do Cariri.

The Cariri Region has considerable natural potential for water resources, minerals, climate and soil which favor both diversified agriculture as well as implementation of agro-industries. In this context, the Region has agro-industries involving sugar cane derivatives such as brandy (cachassa), sugar and fudge; cotton agro-industries and leather goods.

The cluster has irrigated areas for fruit farming (banana, papaya, mango, grape, ata fruit, Caribbean cherry, guanabana, coconut and others), vegetables and grains. There are also activities involving metalwork, goldsmithery, organic farming, poultry farming and sheep and goat farming.

In the Cluster, there is a regional airport with daily flights, as well as public and cargo transport infra-structure, linking all the cities via paved roads, good diversity of bank agencies, telephone net being expanded, television and radio stations and a hospital net.

The Cariri Region of Ceará Cluster presents opportunities for those who wish to invest in the manufacturing or sales of machinery, equipment and implements; retail of fuel and lubricants; production or sales of packaging, production or sales of agro-chemical products; production or sales of seedlings and seeds.

Tourism Cluster - Ceará Sun Coast Costa do Sol

The Ceará Sun Coast Cluster, which stretches for approximately 191 Km to the west of Fortaleza, encompasses 15 municipalities, benefiting 2.8 million people.

The municipalities which form the Cluster have, in common, the beauty of their dune beaches and coconut trees, as well as the wealth of the local handicraft with lace-making, crochet, embroidery, leather, straw, pottery, wood, hammocks, baskets and plaited fronds.

The exploitation of the tourist potential in this meso-region can be expressed by investments in resorts, hotels, hostels, fun fairs, show houses, sports, nautical equipment and activities connected with the production of handicraft and local folklore manifestations.

The link between this strip, where we find the port complex of Pecém and the future oil refinery of the State and Pinto Martins International Airport, in the city of Fortaleza, strengthens the work done in the Cluster, making it possible to have better exchanges with the foreign export markets.

Infrastructure

Highways

The length of Ceará’s highway network is 38,888.6 km. The State is connected to the Southeast by the BR-116 and to the federal capital by the BR-020. There is also connection with the whole Northeast by federal highways.

Railways

The railway system in the State is operated by the Companhia Ferroviária do Nordeste – CFN and is interlinked to the Northeastern Network, having links with the other capital cities of the Region. The railway system has an extension of 1,432 km and is composed of two axes: the north main line, which links Fortaleza to the States Piauí and Maranhão, and the south main line, which links Fortaleza to the State.

Airports

The Pinto Martins International Airport is the main airport in the State. Situated in the city of Fortaleza, it can receive 2.5 million passengers a year, in a building of 36,000 m² in area. There is also a Regional Airport, in the city of Juazeiro do Norte, with regular flights to the State capital.

Ports 

The State of Ceará has two port terminals: Mucuripe Port and Pecém Port.

The Mucuripe Port, situated in the city of Fortaleza, handles 70,000 containers/year and 3 million tons/year. It is linked to main national and international port centers and to the internal road and railway system. It can operate cargo ships of up to 50 thousand tons.

The Pecém Port is an off-shore port with capacity to receive deep-keel ships, linked to an inter-modal cargo system and an extensive environmental protection area on its outskirts..

Fiscal Incentives

The Industrial Development Fund - IDF – is geared towards Industrial Promotion in Ceará and encompasses the following programs:

• International Commerce Development Program – ICDP – dedicated to companies importing products which are not manufactured in the State of Ceará.
• Productive Chains Development Program – PROCAP – geared to companies in the textile sector which import inputs and raw material from abroad, provided the end consumer is an establishment in the State.
• FDI/PROVIN grants incentives for production Implementation, Expansion, Diversification, Recovery of Companies and Stimulus to Quality and Patents Certification of industrial companies considered fundamental for the economic development of the State.

More Information

www.coelce.com.br

www.telemar.com.br

www.cagece.com.br

www.ceara.gov.br

www.sde.ce.gov.br

www.docasdoceara.com.br

www.cearaportos.ce.gov.br

www.seagri.ce.gov.br

www.sde.ce.gov.br

www.turismo.ce.gov.br