CARNAUBA PALM TREE

Carnauba Palm tree, Corpenicea Cerifera, is a gracious tree found in Brazil, Asia, Equatorial Africa and some countries in South America. It is present in landscapes throughout rivers, valleys and lagoons however it grows only in the northeast of Brazil, where due to the weather condition the wax which is exuded from the leaves is available. The cuts made on the leaves every harvest period do not cause any environment damage, since leaves cut for the powder extraction are naturally renewed for the next crop.

Over the two centuries, carnauba wax extraction has been an important economic activity for the states in the northeast of Brazil, hence promoting generation of work and income for significant parcels of the population.

In addition to the economic importance among different production areas of the State of Ceara, carnauba is also an important cultural tool which is largely used on handcrafts and the art on the northeasters.