Paraíba

Paraíba's economy is the 19th richest in the country and the sixth in the Northeast (behind Bahia, Pernambuco, Ceará, Maranhão and Rio Grande do Norte, and ahead of Alagoas, Sergipe and Piauí). According to data from 2014, the Gross Domestic Product of Paraíba was R $155,143 million and the GDP per capita was R $16,722.05. The largest economies in Paraíba are João Pessoa, Campina Grande, Cabedelo, Santa Rita and Patos.^[13][14]

In 2010, taking into account the municipal population of eighteen years of age or older, 59.3% were economically employed, 32.2% were economically inactive, and 8.5% were unemployed. Still in the same year, taking into account the employed population in the same age group, 40.30% worked in the services sector, 23.38% in agriculture, 15.55% in commerce, 7 96% in manufacturing industries, 7.09% in civil construction and 1.15% in public utility. Cabedelo, in the João Pessoa Metropolitan Region, is the third largest economy in the state and the highest GDP per capita in Paraíba.^[15]

At the end of the 16th century, when the occupation of the territory of Paraíba began, the economy of Paraíba was centralized in the primary sector (agriculture), mainly in the cultivation of sugar cane. According to the IBGE, Paraíba had, in 2015, a herd of 10,647,748 chickens, 1,170,803 cattle, 566,576 goats, 501,362 sheep, 312,409 quails, 174,533 pigs, 52,683 horses and 913 buffaloes. In the same year, the state produced, in temporary crops, sugar cane (6801,981 t), pineapple (290,772 thousand fruits), cassava (131,073 t), sweet potato (30,192 t), tomato (13,045 t), corn (10,934 t), beans (7,019 t), watermelon (4,292 t), onion (2,256 t), broad beans (1,439 t), potatoes (473 t), rice (360 t), peanuts (252 t), herbaceous cotton (228 t ) and garlic (10 t). [120] In permanent cultivation: banana (134,606 t), coco-da-bay (36,385 t), papaya (30,810 t), mandarin (15,304 t), mango (11,306 t), passion fruit (8,287 t), orange (5,424 t), sisal (5,035 t), grape (2,196 t), guava (2,023 t), lemon (1,882 t), cashews (960 t), avocado (624 t), annatto (395 t) and black pepper ( 58t). In 2011, the municipalities with the highest agricultural gross domestic product in the state were, in descending order, Pedras de Fogo, Santa Rita, Itapororoca and Araçagi.^[16][17]

In 2018, Paraíba had an industrial GDP of R$8.8 billion, equivalent to 0.7% of the national industry and employing 109,825 workers in the industry. The main industrial sectors are: Construction (32.1%), Industrial Services of Public Services, such as Electricity and Water (23.9%), Leather and Footwear (11.3%), Food (6%) and Non-Metallic Minerals (5.9%). These 5 sectors concentrate 79.2% of the state industry.^[18]

Paraíba's industrial profile is mainly focused on the benefit of minerals and raw materials from the primary sector. The main industrial centers of Paraíba, as well as the main industrial centers of the state, are: in the forest area, the Metropolitan Region of João Pessoa (Bayeux, Cabedelo, Conde, João Pessoa, Lucena and Santa Rita), where the industries are mainly food, cement, civil construction and textiles; in the wild, Campina Grande, where once again the food industries stand out, as well as those of beverages, footwear, industrialized fruits and, more recently, software; in the interior, Cajazeiras, Patos, São Bento and Sousa, with an emphasis on the textile and clothing industries. Industrial activity in the state is, to this day, in the process of development, with the aim of generating better living conditions for the population. The highest GDP in the secondary sector are João Pessoa, Campina Grande, Santa Rita, Cabedelo and Caaporã.^[19][20][21]

In commerce, the value of sales throughout the state reached R$4.8 billion, while the entire tertiary sector contributed more than R$25 billion. The state is the fifth largest exporter in the Northeast, standing out in the export of consumer goods, intermediate goods and capital. Sugar, ethyl alcohol, footwear, granite, clothing, sisal, and fabrics are the main products exported from Paraíba abroad, mainly to Australia, Argentina, the United States, Russia, and the European Union.^[22][23]

Ceará

In 2008, Ceará's GDP, at market prices, was R$60,098,877,000, of which 47.17% is concentrated in the capital, Fortaleza, according to a study by IPECE.^[24] However, there is a slight process of decentralization of wealth in the state, since in 2004 the capital represented 47.80% of state GDP. On the other hand, the richest cities, in general, the richest cities continue to increase their share of total GDP. Some of these cities are: Maracanaú (5.19%), Juazeiro do Norte (3.31%), Caucaia (3.25%), Sobral (2.83%), Eusébio (1.56%), Horizonte ( 1.39%), Maranguape (1.07%), Crato (1.07%) and São Gonçalo do Amarante (1.02%).

The five municipalities with the highest GDP per capita in Ceará are: Eusébio (R$23,205), Horizonte (R$15,947), Maracanaú (R$15,620), São Gonçalo do Amarante (R$14,440) and Fortaleza ( R$11,461), all well above the state average, which is R$7,112. The ten municipalities with the highest GDP accounted for 67.86% of total GDP.^[24]

Starting in the 1960s, progressive industrialization and urbanization processes took place, which gained momentum starting in the 1980s, partly due to the policy of granting tax benefits to companies that establish themselves in the state.^[25] Currently, although it continues to be a sub-industrialized economy in relation to other Brazilian states, the Ceará economy is no longer based primarily on agricultural activities. In fact, the tertiary sector of commerce and services predominates, as well as tourism. However, agriculture, and especially livestock, continue to be relevant in the state's economy, and the importance of non-traditional crops is increasing. Some examples of these crops are the production of fruits and vegetables in the Jaguaribe River valley, and the production of flowers in the Sierra de Ibiapaba and in Cariri Microregion.

Since 2004, Ceará's economy has undergone a period of moderate growth, between 3.5% and 5% per year.^[26] In 2007 growth was 4.4%, lower than the Brazilian average; and in 2008 of 6.5%, well above the average, mainly due to the great recovery of the agricultural sector (24.59%), in addition to the maintenance of the high levels of growth of the industry (5.51%) and from the tertiary sector (5.21%). In 2009, despite the international economic crisis and losses in the primary sector, Ceará's GDP grew 3.1%, higher than the change in Brazilian GDP, which was −0.2%, mainly due to the good performance of the service sector.^[27] Thus, Ceará's GDP reached more than 2% of national production for the first time.^[27] An estimate made by IPECE reveals that Ceará's GDP had record nominal growth, when it grew to 10 billion from 2009 to 2010.^[28] In 2010 there was also a record participation of the Ceará economy in the national economy. Such participation, which was 1.89% in 2007, increased to 2.04% in 2010...

In 2011, the Ceará economy continued to grow above the national average. The PIV of Ceará reached 84 billion, an increase of 10 billion compared to the previous year, according to preliminary data from IPECE.^[29]

In agriculture, the most important products are: Beans, corn, rice, cotton, cashew nut, sugar cane, cassava, castor bean, tomato, banana, orange, coconut, and more recently the grape are the main products.^[30] There has recently been a shift towards irrigated agriculture mainly for export, in areas close to the Chapada del Apodi, devoting itself especially to the cultivation of fruits such as melon and pineapple. The cultivation of flowers has also gained importance in recent times, especially in the Sierra de Ibiapaba.

In livestock, cattle, pigs, goats, horses, poultry, donkey and sheep are mainly kept.^[31]

The main resources minerals extracted from Ceará soil are: iron, mineral water, calcareous, clay, magnesium, granite, petroleum, natural gas, sea salt, graphite, gypsum and crude uranium. The municipality of Santa Quitéria has the largest uranium reserve in Brazil.^[32]

The main sectors of the industry of Ceará are the manufacture of clothing, the food, metallurgical, textile, chemical and footwear industries. Most of the industries are located in the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza, especially in Fortaleza, Caucaia and Maracanaú, where the Maracanaú Industrial District is located, an important industrial complex that stimulates the state's economy.^[33] The Special Protection Zone for Birds of Ceará will be installed in Caucaia and São Gonçalo do Amarante, in the Pecem Industrial and Port Complex, where a steel industry and a petroleum refinery will also be installed.

The Federation of Industries of the State of Ceará (FIEC) is the union entity of company owners. The entity brings together the majority of owners and industrial leaders. Some of the large companies in Ceará with national scope linked to the FIEC are: Aço Cearense, Companhia de Alimentos do Nordeste, Grendene, Café Santa Clara, Grande Moinho Cearense, Grupo Edson Queiroz, Indústria Naval do Ceará, J. Macêdo, M. Dias Branco, Troller and Ypióca.^[34]

Commerce is of great importance in the economy of Ceará, representing more than 70% of the state's GDP.^[24] The main commercial institution in the state is the Federation of Commerce of the State of Ceará (Fecommerce). Some commercial chains affiliated with Fecomercio with national prominence are Rede de Farmácias Pague Menos, Cone Pizza, Otoch and Esplanada.

In 2009, construction began on the second state supply center (Ceasa), in the Cariri region, which will complement food distribution, together with Ceasa in the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza.^[35] In addition to Ceasa's commercial activity, all cities maintain municipal markets.