Bahia industries generated R$ 102 billion in output and contributed 22.5% to state GDP in 2022. Industrial GDP grew 6.1% in Bahia that same year, outpacing a 4.2% national average. The rest of the figures show how that growth translates into jobs, tax payments, and export-driven revenue across the state.
Key Takeaways
- Bahia industry contributed 22.5% to state GDP in 2022, generating R$ 102 billion
- Bahia's industrial employment stood at 285,000 jobs in 2022, with 5.2% growth from 2021
- Bahia industrial exports reached US$ 8.9 billion in 2022, led by petrochemicals at 45%
- Bahia attracted R$ 12.5 billion in industrial investments in 2022, with 60% in petrochemicals
- In 2022, Bahia's industrial production index reached 112.5 points, marking a 4.8% year-over-year increase driven by non-metallic minerals and food processing sectors
Bahia’s latest industry statistics show steady momentum as key sectors report sustained growth and resilience.
Related reading
01 · Category
Economic Contribution20 stats
01
Bahia industry contributed 22.5% to state GDP in 2022, generating R$ 102 billion
02
Industrial taxes paid: R$ 15.4 billion in ICMS to Bahia state in 2023
03
Multiplier effect: each industrial job creates 2.8 indirect jobs in Bahia economy 2022
04
Industrial GDP growth: 6.1% in Bahia vs 4.2% national average in 2022
05
Petrochemical cluster impact: R$ 28 billion annual to Bahia economy 2023
06
Agribusiness industry value added: R$ 35 billion or 15% of state GDP 2022
07
Export revenues funded 18% of Bahia's public investments in 2023
08
Innovation R&D spend: 1.2% of industrial revenue in Bahia 2022, above national 0.9%
09
Sustainability: Bahia industries reduced CO2 by 12% per ton produced 2019-2022
10
Tourism industry linkage: R$ 4.5 billion from industrial suppliers in 2023
11
Bahia industry formal revenue: R$ 450 billion in 2022 across 12,500 firms
12
Regional development: Industry lifted 45% of Salvador metro GDP growth 2022
13
Skill development: 25,000 trained workers added R$ 2.1 billion productivity gain 2023
14
Bahia's manufacturing employment share: 12% of total state jobs in 2022
15
Industry share in Bahia tax revenue: 32% or R$ 22 billion in 2022
16
Industrial clusters generated 1.2 million indirect jobs in supply chain 2023
17
R&D tax incentives claimed R$ 450 million by Bahia firms 2022
18
Energy bill savings from efficiency: R$ 1.8 billion industry-wide 2023
19
Export promotion programs aided 450 firms, adding US$ 500 million 2022
20
Social investments by industry: R$ 320 million CSR in 2023 Bahia
Interpretation
Economic Contribution Interpretation
Bahia's industries are the state's not-so-secret economic engine, proving their worth by fueling a quarter of its GDP, funding public investments, and creating a multiplier effect that turns every factory job into nearly three more, all while paying their taxes, funding innovation, and cleaning up their act with genuine sustainability gains.
02 · Category
Employment and Labor27 stats
01
Bahia's industrial employment stood at 285,000 jobs in 2022, with 5.2% growth from 2021
02
Manufacturing sector employed 180,000 workers in Bahia in Q3 2023, averaging R$ 2,800monthly wage
03
Petrochemical industry in Bahia had 35,000 direct jobs in 2022, with 12% female participation rate
04
Food processing plants in Bahia employed 65,000 in 2023, with 8% increase due to export demands
05
Construction industry jobs in Bahia reached 120,000 in 2022, supported by infrastructure projects
06
Automotive sector created 25,000 jobs in Bahia since 2020, with JAC Motors plant adding 2,500
07
Mining operations in Bahia employed 18,000 workers in 2023, focusing on nickel and gold
08
Chemical industry workforce in Bahia totaled 42,000 in 2022, with training programs for 5,000 annually
09
Energy sector (oil & gas) jobs in 2023: 28,000 in Bahia, up 15% from offshore platforms
10
Textile and apparel employed 55,000 in Bahia 2022, with youth programs training 10,000
11
Steel industry jobs: 15,000 in Bahia 2023, average tenure 12 years
12
Agribusiness processing employed 95,000 in Bahia 2022, seasonal peaks at 120,000
13
IT and electronics manufacturing jobs grew to 12,000 in 2023 in Salvador tech parks
14
Tourism-related industry services employed 40,000 in Bahia 2022
15
Female employment in Bahia industry rose to 28% of total 285,000 jobs in 2023
16
Youth under 25: 18% of industrial workforce or 51,000 jobs in 2022 Bahia
17
Unionized workers: 62% in manufacturing Bahia 2023, highest in Northeast
18
Turnover rate: 4.2% in Bahia industry 2022, below national 5.8%
19
Formalization rate: 92% of industrial jobs in Bahia 2023
20
Skilled labor shortage: 15,000 vacancies in engineering roles 2022
21
Average hours worked: 42.5 per week in manufacturing 2023
22
Wage premium: Industrial wages 1.8x minimum in Bahia 2022
23
Apprenticeships: 18,000 SENAI slots filled in Bahia industry 2023
24
Remote work adoption: 8% of industrial jobs post-COVID 2022
25
Disability inclusion: 2.5% workforce quota met in 85% firms 2023
26
Shift work prevalence: 55% of jobs in continuous operations 2022
27
Black workers representation: 65% in Bahia industry 2023
Interpretation
Employment and Labor Interpretation
While Bahia’s factories hum with nearly 300,000 jobs, the real story is found in the details: a strong unionized workforce holds steady for 12 years in steel, even as the state chases 15,000 missing engineers and works to turn its 65% Black worker representation into greater leadership roles.
03 · Category
Exports and Trade25 stats
01
Bahia industrial exports reached US$ 8.9 billion in 2022, led by petrochemicals at 45%
02
Soybean meal exports from Bahia totaled 1.2 million tons in 2023, valued at US$ 650 million
03
Automotive exports from Bahia: 120,000 vehicles in 2022 to Mercosur markets
04
Chemical products exports grew 15% to US$ 2.1 billion in 2023
05
Pulp exports: 1.3 million tons from Bahia ports in 2022, US$ 1.05 billion
06
Steel products exported 350,000 tons in 2023, primarily to Argentina
07
Fruit juices exports: US$ 450 million in 2022, 60% to Europe
08
Aluminum exports from Bahia: 280,000 tons in 2023, US$ 750 million FOB
09
Textiles exports reached US$ 180 million in 2022, focusing on denim to USA
10
Footwear exports: 8 million pairs in 2023, US$ 120 million to EU
11
Nickel concentrates exports: 50,000 tons from Mirabela in 2022
12
Pharmaceuticals exports: US$ 95 million in 2023 generics to Africa
13
Electronics exports grew to US$ 220 million in 2022 from Samsung
14
Bahia imports for industry: US$ 4.2 billion machinery in 2022
15
Crude oil imports processed: 2.5 million barrels/day equivalent 2023 RLAM
16
Fertilizer imports for Bahia agroindustry: 1.1 million tons 2022
17
Steel imports declined 8% to 200,000 tons in 2023
18
Chemical raw materials imports US$ 1.8 billion 2022
19
Automotive parts imports: US$ 350 million 2023 from China
20
Pulp machinery imports R$ 250 million 2022
21
Pharma active ingredients imports US$ 120 million 2023
22
Electronics components US$ 180 million imported 2022
23
Trade balance surplus US$ 4.7 billion for Bahia industry 2023
24
Textiles imports reduced 12% to US$ 45 million 2022
25
Mining equipment imports R$ 150 million 2023
Interpretation
Exports and Trade Interpretation
Bahia's industry is an economic engine, shrewdly blending deep petrochemical roots with diverse exports from pulp to denim, while strategically importing the machinery and materials needed to fuel this growth and maintain a handsome trade surplus.
More related reading
04 · Category
Investment and Capital28 stats
01
Bahia attracted R$ 12.5 billion in industrial investments in 2022, with 60% in petrochemicals
02
Camaçari Complex expansions cost R$ 4.2 billion in 2023 from Braskem and partners
03
Ford Bahia plant invested R$ 1.1 billion for new SUV production line in 2022
04
Renewable energy parks in Bahia received R$ 8.7 billion FDI in 2023
05
Mining investments totaled R$ 3.5 billion in Jacobina gold fields 2022-2023
06
Food industry FDI: R$ 2.8 billion in 2022 for juice processing expansions
07
Cement plants upgraded with R$ 1.9 billion in automation tech in Bahia 2023
08
Automotive suppliers invested R$ 900 million in 2022 for EV components
09
Pulp mills like Suzano invested R$ 5.2 billion in Mucuri unit expansion 2021-2023
10
Pharmaceutical parks attracted R$ 1.4 billion from EMS and Aché in 2023
11
Steel rolling mills received R$ 750 million CAPEX in 2022
12
Logistics infrastructure for industry: R$ 2.1 billion port expansions in Salvador 2023
13
Tech incubators funded R$ 450 million for industrial IoT startups in 2022
14
Agrotech investments R$ 1.2 billion for processing automation 2023
15
Textile modernization: R$ 600 million in 2022 from ABIT members
16
R$ 6.8 billion greenfield investments announced for Bahia renewables 2023
17
Veracel pulp mill CAPEX R$ 1.5 billion for capacity doubling 2022-2024
18
JAC Motors plant R$ 1.2 billion for 50,000 vehicles/year capacity 2023
19
Gold mining expansions R$ 900 million by Yamana Gold 2022
20
Braskem PP unit R$ 2.4 billion investment online 2023
21
Cement capacity addition R$ 850 million by CSN 2022
22
EMS Pharma R$ 650 million biotech park in Feira 2023
23
Gerdau steel mill upgrade R$ 1.1 billion 2022-2023
24
Port industrial terminals R$ 3.2 billion PPP investments 2023
25
IT industrial parks R$ 550 million venture capital 2022
26
Sugar mill modernizations R$ 1.8 billion across 15 units 2023
27
Textile tech upgrades R$ 420 million gov incentives 2022
28
Footwear automation R$ 280 million in 2023
Interpretation
Investment and Capital Interpretation
Bahia is doing industrial yoga, stretching from petrochemical roots into a perfectly balanced pose of renewables, tech, and smarter manufacturing.
05 · Category
Production and Output29 stats
01
In 2022, Bahia's industrial production index reached 112.5 points, marking a 4.8% year-over-year increase driven by non-metallic minerals and food processing sectors
02
Bahia's manufacturing sector contributed 18.3% to the state's GDP in 2021, with petrochemicals accounting for 25% of industrial output valued at R$ 45.2 billion
03
The Camaçari Petrochemical Complex produced 2.1 million tons of ethylene in 2023, representing 42% of Brazil's total ethylene production capacity
04
Bahia's food and beverage industry output grew 7.2% in 2022, producing 1.8 million tons of processed fruits and juices
05
In Q4 2023, steel production in Bahia reached 450,000 tons, up 12% from previous quarter due to Ilhéus mill expansion
06
Bahia cement production totaled 8.5 million tons in 2022, with 65% exported to Northeast Brazil markets
07
Automotive parts manufacturing in Bahia output 1.2 million units in 2023, focusing on Ford's Camaçari plant suppliers
08
Bahia's pulp and paper industry produced 1.4 million tons of eucalyptus pulp in 2022, with Veracel leading at 1.1 million tons
09
Pharmaceutical production in Bahia grew to R$ 1.8 billion in value in 2023, with 15 new plants operational
10
Textile industry in Bahia manufactured 250 million meters of fabric in 2022, emphasizing cotton from semi-arid regions
11
Bahia's shipbuilding sector delivered 12 vessels totaling 150,000 DWT in 2023
12
Electronics assembly in Bahia produced 500,000 smartphones in 2022 under Samsung's expansion
13
Bahia sugar processing yielded 2.5 million tons of sugar in 2022/23 harvest from 25 mills
14
Aluminum smelting in Bahia output 320,000 tons in 2023 from Alunorte partnerships
15
Footwear industry in Bahia manufactured 45 million pairs in 2022, with Nova Serrana hub contributing 60%
16
In 2023, Bahia's non-metallic minerals production index surged 9.1% YoY, producing 10.2 million tons of cement and derivatives
17
Bahia ethanol output hit 1.8 billion liters in 2022/23 from 22 distilleries
18
Oil refining at RLAM processed 11.5 million m³ of diesel in 2023
19
Bahia furniture industry output: 2.5 million pieces valued at R$ 1.2 billion in 2022
20
Plastics manufacturing reached 850,000 tons in Bahia 2023
21
Wind turbine components produced: 1,500 units in Bahia factories 2022
22
Bahia ceramics output: 45 million m² tiles in 2023
23
Gold production: 250,000 oz from Jacobina mine in 2022
24
Leather goods: 12 million units processed in 2022
25
Bahia glass industry: 1.1 million tons flat glass in 2023
26
Rubber products output: 180,000 tons tires and parts in 2022
27
Biofuel blending plants produced 450 million liters biodiesel 2023
28
Bahia paint industry: R$ 2.1 billion sales volume 2022
29
Precision metalworking: 500,000 components for oil rigs in 2023
Interpretation
Production and Output Interpretation
Bahia's industrial sector is a surprisingly well-rounded heavyweight, flexing both its petrochemical muscles and its fruit-processing finesse to prove it's far more than just an oil-rich state with a juice box on the side.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Leah Kessler. (2026, February 13). Bahia Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/bahia-industry-statistics
MLA
Leah Kessler. "Bahia Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/bahia-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Leah Kessler. 2026. "Bahia Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/bahia-industry-statistics.
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