If for many the year only begins after Carnival, in the economic sphere the situation is different, especially in times of crisis. JF 2020 the climate is one of a real race against time to promote changes that offer a more favorable scenario for the generation of job and income.
In this urgent aspect, the economy of Zona da Mata has been on the agenda of a permanent meeting between the Public Authorities, sector leaders and research institutions.
The most recent meeting took place last Wednesday (19), held between representatives of the State Government and the City of Juiz de Fora (PJF).
Business Expansion
For these agents, attracting new investments to the city and creating an environment that encourages the expansion of businesses already established are fundamental for local development, which also depends on the economic strengthening of other municipalities in the region.
Regarding prospecting for new business, information from the Minas Gerais Investment and Foreign Trade Promotion Agency (Indi-MG) is that there has not yet been, in 2020, any signing of protocols of intent from companies interested in Juiz de Fora.
“But the city is competing with other municipalities in several projects that we are seeking for the state,” says the director of natural-based production chains, Ronaldo Alexandre Barquette. Without saying which projects these would be, he believes that the local economic vocation guarantees a good structure for receiving companies from the automotive, aerospace, metal-mechanical, logistics and life sciences sectors.
Highlighting that Indi-MG presents possibilities, but the final decision on the installation location is up to the company, Barquette describes the city's potential as “excellent”.
Dry Port
“The Dry Port is certainly a great differentiator. We also have available land, a fantastic electrical system, gas pipelines, and railways,” he says. “The city is next to the regional airport and is very close to Rio de Janeiro, which also has a port.
The economy relies on local production arrangements, such as craft beer, a strong metal-mechanical sector and a consumer market that encompasses municipalities in Zona da Mata and the state of Rio.”
However, he emphasizes that the regional reality can be an obstacle to local development. “JF 2020 is a developed island located in a deprived area.
“Although the number of people from outside who depend on the city, especially in the health sector, creates an overload,” he analyzes. “It is necessary to support the economic strengthening of neighboring municipalities. Therefore, efforts are being made to develop Zona da Mata as a whole.”
One of the initiatives to promote regional development is the creation of the Zona da Mata Biokerosene and Renewables Platform. The proposal is that by 2031, the region will be producing around 230 million liters of aviation biokerosene.
On April 2, the State Government will hold an event to publicize the Biokerosene Platform.
Industry will gain an innovation agenda
The year 2019 was not easy for the industry. Right at the beginning, the collapse of the Vale dam at the Córrego do Feijão Mine in Brumadinho had a direct impact on the entire mining chain. Subsequently, JF 2020 saw the reduction of Mercedes-Benz's activities and the abandonment of the M. Dias Branco project.
Responsible for employing 19,758 workers and generating around R$44 million per month in salaries, the sector is highly relevant to the local economy, but has faced a history of ups and downs in recent years.
The main proposal of the Municipality for the sector, in JF 2020, is to strengthen the companies already established in the city by creating an innovation agenda. This will also offer training on how to transfer resources for application in research.
Law of Good
“It is a short-term and long-lasting action. The idea is to promote events to provide information about the Lei do Bem, which guarantees this possibility to entrepreneurs. However, it is still unknown to many,” says Secretary Rômulo Veiga.
Law 11.196/05, known as the Lei do Bem (Good Law), provides for a reduction in the collection of Corporate Income Tax. This applies to companies in any area that invest in research, development and innovation.
“It is a very interesting initiative, as it promotes income within the municipality,” explains Rômulo. According to him, the first training sessions on the subject will take place in the first quarter of the year.