The event will take place from November 12 to 14, in Quixeramobim, with an expectation of welcoming more than 20 thousand visitors. The joint organization strengthens dairy farming, expands business opportunities, and reinforces institutional integration in Sertão Central.

Quixeramobim (CE), October 6, 2026 — The enhancement of dairy farming, business generation, and the strengthening of institutional cooperation marked the official launch of the 8th Copa Leite, held this Tuesday (6), in the FAUNIQ auditorium, in Quixeramobim. The event will take place from November 12 to 14, on Via Paisagística, bringing together rural producers, business leaders, experts, institutions, and visitors across three days of activities aimed at strengthening the dairy production chain and regional economic development.

Conceived by União dos Produtores de Leite de Quixeramobim (Unileite), Copa Leite reaches its eighth edition, consolidating the joint efforts of different institutions. The event is organized by União dos Produtores de Leite de Quixeramobim (Unileite), ADR Sertão Central – Agência de Desenvolvimento Regional do Sertão Central Cearense, Prefeitura Municipal de Quixeramobim, Secretaria da Agricultura and other municipal secretariats, Sindicato Rural, Sebrae, and Sistema FAEC/Senar.

The joint action of these institutions demonstrates the importance of cooperation between the productive sector, the public sector, and representative entities to transform the region's economic potential into opportunities for growth, innovation, business generation, employment, and income.

ADR Sertão Central highlights institutional integration and regional development

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For the president of ADR Sertão Central, André Ricardo da Silva Fernandes, the Copa Leite represents an opportunity to strengthen integration among institutions and expand the visibility of one of Sertão Central's main economic vocations.

“Copa Leite demonstrates what we can achieve when we unite producers, business leaders, institutions, and the public sector around a common goal. For ADR Sertão Central, participating in the organization of this event, together with Unileite and the other organizing institutions, reaffirms our commitment to strengthening the region's productive vocations.

More than three days of programming, Copa Leite represents an opportunity for integration, innovation, and building partnerships capable of generating lasting results for all of Sertão Central. Our purpose is to help ensure that development goes beyond the boundaries of a single municipality and reaches the entire region, valuing its potential and bringing people and institutions closer together.”

The Agency's participation in organizing the event aligns with its institutional mission to stimulate regional development, promote cooperation among municipalities, strengthen productive chains, and bring the business sector closer to public and private institutions.

Generation of business and new opportunities for the region

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The Administrative Director of ADR Sertão Central, Willyans Anfrisio de Matos, highlights the economic dimension of Copa Leite and the importance of transforming institutional mobilization into concrete opportunities for producers, entrepreneurs, and investors.

“When we talk about Copa Leite, we are talking about much more than an event focused on dairy farming. We are talking about an initiative that drives an entire economic chain, from the rural producer to commerce, restaurants, the hospitality sector, and service providers. The expectation of receiving more than 20 thousand visitors and generating more than R$ 6 million shows the dimension that the event has reached and the importance it holds for Quixeramobim and the entire region.

But I believe we also need to look at the opportunities that remain after the event. Copa Leite is an excellent showcase for our products, for the potential of our commerce, and for the entrepreneurial capacity of Sertão Central. It is an opportunity to bring investors closer, stimulate new business, encourage innovation, and open markets, strengthening not only production, but also the other sectors of our economy.

We have a region with great potential and, above all, with people who work, believe, and undertake. Our challenge is to transform this potential into more development, employment, and income. And it is precisely in this sense that ADR Sertão Central seeks to act: bringing together the productive sector, commerce, entrepreneurs, and institutions, creating connections that can generate concrete opportunities and lasting results for the entire region.”

The Agency's outlook is to contribute so that the connections established during Copa Leite may result in new partnerships, investments, and opportunities, extending the economic and institutional benefits of the event beyond the three days of programming.

Sebrae projects more than 20 thousand visitors and R$ 6 million in economic turnover

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The expectation for the 2026 edition is to surpass the results achieved in the previous year. According to Cleverson Carlos, regional manager of Sebrae in the Sertão Central, the organization is working with the projection of receiving more than 20 thousand visitors and exceeding R$ 6 million in financial transactions during the three days of programming.

The figures demonstrate the economic scale of Copa Leite and its ability to bring together different productive segments. In addition to activities directly related to dairy farming, the event creates opportunities for companies, merchants, service providers, and entrepreneurs participating in the program.

Cleverson also highlighted the growing demand for exhibitor spaces. In the previous edition, demand exceeded available space, making it impossible for some interested companies to participate.

For 2026, registration was opened in advance, seeking to expand business participation opportunities and strengthen exhibition and business spaces.

The presence of companies and suppliers of products, equipment, services, and technological solutions is expected to contribute to bringing producers closer to alternatives that foster the productivity, innovation, and competitiveness of their activities.

Sid Alves highlights the evolution of Copa Leite and new additions to the program

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President of Unileite and also a member of ADR Sertão Central, Sid Alves highlighted, during the launch, the evolution of Copa Leite over its editions and the organizers' commitment to expanding opportunities offered to producers and visitors.

The traditional Torneio Leiteiro will remain one of the main highlights of the schedule, showcasing herd quality, genetic improvement advances, and the productive potential of dairy farming in Quixeramobim.

In addition to the competition, the event will feature lectures and training activities aimed at presenting new technologies and disseminating knowledge that can contribute to improving production results.

Among the announced updates is the creation of a space dedicated to the exhibition and marketing of livestock, expanding business possibilities during the Copa Leite.

Sid Alves also mentioned the prospect of future growth for the event, considering the construction of the municipality's exhibition park, a facility that could offer new possibilities for hosting activities and livestock sales in upcoming editions.

The president of Unileite thanked the organizing institutions for their involvement and highlighted the importance of uniting efforts to consolidate Copa Leite as a benchmark for dairy farming in Ceará.

Giant coalho cheese is one of the highlights of the 2026 edition

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Another eagerly awaited moment in the program will be the production of a large-scale queijo coalho, aiming to achieve recognition as the world's largest.

According to Sid Alves, the organization intends to seek registration of the achievement with RankBrasil, granting visibility to Quixeramobim's cheese-making tradition and dairy production in Sertão Central.

The vice president of the Federação da Agricultura e Pecuária do Estado do Ceará (FAEC) and member of ADR Sertão Central, Chico Almir Severo, expressed optimism regarding the initiative, highlighting expectations that the title will return to Quixeramobim.

The contest for recognition has already involved, in previous editions, producers from Quixeramobim and Jaguaribe. For 2026, one of the announced innovations is the possibility for the public to follow the unmolding of the cheese.

In addition to expectations surrounding the giant cheese, Chico Almir highlighted the importance of Torneio Leiteiro, lectures, workshops, and business spaces for the integration of the different segments of agriculture and livestock in Ceará.

The leader also reiterated the invitation for producers, agricultural sector representatives, and the population of Quixeramobim and the other municipalities of Sertão Central to take part in the program.

Secretariat of Agriculture highlights advances in dairy farming

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The Municipal Secretary of Agriculture of Quixeramobim, Zé Maria Pimenta, highlighted during the launch the trajectory of strengthening dairy farming in the municipality and the progress achieved over recent decades.

According to the secretary, technical assistance work, producer monitoring, and the expansion of water infrastructure on rural properties have contributed to improving production conditions, including during drought periods.

He also highlighted the quality of milk and dairy products produced in Quixeramobim, emphasizing the capacity of local producers to compete with products from other regions of the country.

Another aspect emphasized was the importance of profitability for the continuity of the activity. Achieving economic results allows producers to reinvest in the property, incorporate technologies, expand productivity, and ensure better conditions to remain in dairy production.

In this context, Copa Leite represents an opportunity to value the work carried out in the field, share experiences, and present alternatives that contribute to strengthening the activity.

Institutional cooperation strengthens the development of Sertão Central

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The holding of the 8ª Copa Leite highlights the importance of joint action by institutions committed to strengthening productive activities and regional economic development.

The partnership among Unileite, ADR Sertão Central, Prefeitura Municipal de Quixeramobim, Secretaria da Agricultura and other municipal secretariats, Sindicato Rural, Sebrae, and Sistema FAEC/Senar, as organizing institutions, demonstrates the ability to coordinate around initiatives that value local production and stimulate new opportunities.

The participation of Sid Alves, president of Unileite, and Chico Almir Severo, vice-president of FAEC, both also members of ADR Sertão Central, reinforces the Agency's connection with entities representing dairy farming and the Ceará agricultural and livestock sector.

This institutional integration contributes to bringing together different segments of the economy, sharing knowledge, encouraging innovation, and strengthening the business environment of Sertão Central.

With expectations of growth in attendance, business participation, and economic movement, Copa Leite 2026 is expected to contribute to expanding the visibility of Quixeramobim and Sertão Central in the dairy farming scene of Ceará.

More than an agricultural and livestock sector gathering, Copa Leite represents the strength of cooperation among producers, entrepreneurs, public authorities, and institutions in building new opportunities for regional development.

Journalistic coverage of the launch

The official launch of the 8th Copa Leite 2026 was also covered by the media outlet O Sertão em Notícia, which recorded moments of the event and statements from representatives of the institutions involved in the staging.

Check out the reports published on Instagram:

Report 1 — O Sertão em Notícia ↗

Report 2 — O Sertão em Notícia ↗

Report 3 — O Sertão em Notícia ↗

Report 4 — O Sertão em Notícia ↗

Report 5 — O Sertão em Notícia ↗

Journalistic records complement information about the launch and allow following statements and moments from the official presentation of the event.

Service — 8th Copa Leite 2026

Data: 12 a 14 de novembro de 2026

Location: Via Paisagística, Quixeramobim – Ceará

Admission: Program open to the public

Organized by: União dos Produtores de Leite de Quixeramobim (Unileite), ADR Sertão Central – Agência de Desenvolvimento Regional do Sertão Central Cearense, Prefeitura Municipal de Quixeramobim, Secretaria da Agricultura and other municipal secretariats, Sindicato Rural, Sebrae, and Sistema FAEC/Senar.