Potential Activities

• Handicrafts
• Electro-Electronic
• Sheep and Goat Farming
• Fruit Farming
• Retail Trade
• Timber and Furniture
• Civil Construction
• Textiles and Clothing
• Leather and Footwear
• Tourism

Integrated Development Cluster – Alto Piranhas

The Alto Piranhas Cluster is composed of the municipalities of Aparecida, Cajazeiras, Cajazeirinhas, Condado, Marizópolis, Pombal, São Bentinho, São Domingos, São Francisco, São João do Rio do Peixe, Sousa and Vieirópolis.

The Piranhas river and the Peixe river form a huge basin with excellent quality lands for agriculture, which makes it one of the most promising regions for exploitation of irrigated agriculture in the State of Paraíba. The flood plains of Sousa, as they are known, are lands formed by deep soils of flat topography, subject to high sunshine levels, low atmospheric humidity and lack of strong winds. In this region we highlight, as a complementary activity, tourism in Vale dos Dinossauros (Dinosaur Valley). In the valley, remnants of the age of dinosaurs, especially footprints of these animals, are easily found.

Situated 450 Km away form the capital city, João Pessoa, the Cluster is interlinked, by means of good quality paved roads, to all the cities in the Northeast and, by means of railways, to the cities of Fortaleza, Campina Grande and to the Cabedelo port, which is responsible for a large part of the transport of produce from the states of Paraíba, Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte.

The Cluster has enough water infra-structure works to start an ambitious process of increasing irrigated areas, has soils of high agricultural potential use, which also has a few agro-industries already installed. It also has a well-structured industrial park and diversified telecommunication services.

The region also presents high production level, especially vegetables and grains. In the recent past, it was one of the most important cotton production and industrialization clusters in The Northeast. There still are areas for the production of fruit (banana, papaya, mango, grapes, ata fruit, Caribbean cherry, guanabana and coconut); melons and watermelons, and for cattle, goat and sheep farming.

There are opportunities for those who want to invest, such as production and sales of inputs in general, machinery, equipment and implements, packing houses, production and sale of cardboard boxes, seedlings and seeds, juice, fruit and sweets agro-industry, transport and trading companies.

In auxiliary activities good perspective for hotels, restaurants, leisure equipment, hospital and schools are presented. There is also opportunity for business in the tourism area, exploiting the segment of tourism related to prehistoric animals which left their mark on the region.

Tourism Cluster – Costa das Piscinas

The Costa das Piscinas Cluster encompasses 12 municipalities which stretch for an area of 2,503 km², with a resident population of about 964 thousand people.

These are several kilometers of beautiful and exquisite seaside, which can be appreciated for the amplitude of its beaches – from the most deserted to the most urban ones, with excellent bathing, for coastline ecosystems (river estuaries, mangroves, dunes and cliffs) and for its scenic beauty.

It comprises islands such as Areia Vermelha (Cabedelo) and Picãozinho – with its beautiful coral swimming pools in João Pessoa –, the naturism beach of Tambaba, in the municipality of Conde, one of the few in the Northeast. We also highlight the fluvial beaches and other idyllic natural attractions. The beach of Barra do Rio Mamanguape is located in an important Environmental Preservation Area, where the Manatee Center is located. In Baía da Traição, there is the last remaining dwelling-place of the native Potiguara Tribe in the state of Paraíba, where old fishing communities/cultures and the customs of the Indian culture co-exist peacefully.

The area therefore has potential for undertaking tourist activities connected not only to sun & sea tourism, but also to contemplative leisure, scientific studies tourism, sport tourism and adventure tourism.

Infra-structure

Roads

There are over 5,300 kilometers of roads, 4,000 km state roads and 1,300 km federal roads.

The most important federal roads are the BR-101, which links João Pessoa to Natal and to Recife; the BR-230 (Trans-Amazonian Highway) which traverse the State from East to West, from the Cabedelo Port, going through Campina Grande, Cariri and Sertão and the BR-104 which links the Agreste paraibano to Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte.

Railways

The rail system transports cargoes between João Pessoa and several locations in the State. It is interconnected to the South, via Recife-PE; to the North, via Natal-RN; and to Ceará, via Campina Grande-PB.

Airports

There are two air terminals: Castro Pinto Airport, lying 8 km outside João Pessoa, with a runway of 2,515 m, in good condition for landing of large planes, operates regular national and international flights under the Charter system; and the João Suassuna Airport, located next to the Campina Grande Industrial Estate, operates daily flights to Brasília and the South, via Recife.

Ports

The Port of Cabedelo, lying 18 km from João Pessoa, is the easternmost port in Brazil. It is 700 m long and 300 m wide. It handled 1.2 million tons in 1995, largely comprising petroleum, general cargoes and cereals. It is adequately equipped for handling general cargoes and containers.

More information:

www.paraiba.pb.gov.br

www.cagepa.pb.gov.br

www.transportes.gov.br/bit/portos/cabedelo/depocabedelo.htm

www.transportes.gov.br

www.guianet.com.br/pb/mapapb.htm

http://www.ageel.pb.gov.br/

www.cinep.pb.gov.br