ResumoO semiárido potiguar pode ser uma excelente alternativa para a implantação de projetos de produção de palma irrigada e adensada por apresentar, em grande parte de seu território, clima desfavorável a produção dessa cultura em sistema de sequeiro. A irrigação e adensamento surge como uma alternativa viável economicamente para investidores. Assim, teve-se como objetivo estudar a viabilidade econômica da produção da palma forrageira irrigada e adensada no semiárido potiguar. A partir da análise dos dados, foi considerado o custo de produção de um hectare no município de Apodi, Rio
AbstractThe Potiguar semiarid can be an excellent alternative, in great part of its territory, to implement projects of irrigated forage cactus in narrow rows because of the unfavorable weather to the production of this crop in rainfed system. Narrowing and irrigating come as feasible alternatives to investors. Thus, the objective was to study the economic feasibility of irrigated forage cactus production in narrow rows in the Potiguar semiarid. It was considered the production cost of one hectare based on the data collected in the city of Apodi, Rio Grande do Norte. In the project, it was analyzed the investment, maintenance costs, profitability and forecast growth in eight years. The Net Present Value [NPV], Internal Rate of Return [IRR], payback and breakeven point were obtained through cash flow considering a hurdle rate of 8%. The project was considered economically feasible because the NPV was R$ 105,892.49 and the IRR was 88%. The project annual net profit reached R$ 22,552.20, which added up through the eight years could come to the value of R$ 158,319.80. The payback showed that the investor would recover the initial investment in one year and nine months. The activity would be profitable if the productivity was at least 70,103 kg ha -1 .year -1 .