“There are many opportunities in the Brasilian market” - Interview with Marcelo Habe (Marketing Director of Nufarm Brasil)

By Leonardo Gottems, Reporter for AgroPages

We spoke exclusively to Marcelo Habe, who will take over this month as the new Marketing Director of Nufarm Brasil. He talked about his time at the company, as well as its objectives and goals and his predictions for the Brasilian market.


Tell us a little about your professional career.

I am an agronomist who graduated from the University of Brasilia (UnB) with a postgraduate degree in Phytopathology, as well as an MBA from Fundação Dom Cabral and several specialist international courses acquired during my 26 years of experience in agribusiness. I have worked for major companies, such as Zeneca, Syngenta and Agrichem Nutrien, and now for Nufarm. In my previous companies, I worked in the technical areas of market research and development for five years, in strategic and tactical marketing for 15 years, and also in the three key dimensions of marketing, which are product, GTM (Go To Marketing) and customers. I currently head the Nufarm Marketing Executive Board, which oversees the development and leadership of the company’s strategic growth in Brasil. Today, I am also part of the voluntary board of the Strategic Committee for Soy Brasil, an OSCIP (Civil Society Organization of Public Interest), which aims to promote the sustainable growth of the country’s soybean industry.

What will be your main objectives and goals as marketing director of Nufarm Brasil?

Nufarm Brasil has a very clear and focused strategic direction for our customers and business partners. The result of this customer focus is our recognition of the NPS (Net Promoter Score) survey conducted in 2019, which resulted in a score of 69%. The NPS is a recognized metric that aims to measure customer satisfaction and loyalty. The score attained by Nufarm, which is much higher than other companies in the sector, shows that we are on the right path. Our main goals are to develop increasingly complete and competitive portfolios and solutions for soybean, corn, cotton, sugarcane and pasture crops, as well as ensure operational excellence in manufacturing, supply and commercial planning, along with continuing to invest in training a highly qualified team who are able to deliver our set objectives. Personally, I want to contribute to two fundamental projects, which are maintaining our market access and managing our current portfolio, including through the introduction of new innovations, such as our future fungicide.

What are the company's plans for this year?

Our growth plan is closely connected to our goals. We will continue to invest our resources in the business and ensure the satisfaction of our customers, by, for example, making sure that our team covers a wider area in the field, to support and generate demand for our products, as well as introduce new financial solutions and expand our portfolio of products and services. We want to be closer to the businesses of our distribution networks and cooperatives to better understand their needs and grow faster together. It is also important to mention that Nufarm is in a moment of transition, and when this is complete, we will further drive our plans and growth.

What is your current analysis of the market?

The scenario is positive. The market is expected to continue growing at an intense two-digit pace in the coming years. There are many opportunities in the Brasilian market, either due to the availability of areas for expansion without resorting to protected biomes, the opportunities to expand second and third harvests in numerous regions, the challenges of varied biological targets inherent to our intensive tropical agriculture, and the potential rise in productivity that can be unlocked by the adoption of new technologies. Although the market is large, only companies that can find a sustainable or competitive advantage will stand out. And we are sure that Nufarm is on the right track with our growth plan.

What are the main challenges that need to be solved?

There are many challenges. The plant and seed protection market is undergoing an intense transformation. Firstly, I note the market consolidations at the levels of business, distribution and farming, which have brought considerable challenges in terms of competition. Another clear change is the professionalization of farmers, who are now rural entrepreneurs who demands greater preparation and training from the professionals surrounding him. This same demand for training is also necessary for using the tools of Agriculture 4.0. Another challenge for the sector is the regulatory scenario, which constantly imposes new obstacles to the registration of new molecules, as well as to the maintenance of already registered assets. Last, but not least, is the need to consider public opinion of the importance of agribusiness and the rational and correct use of technologies generated by our sector, to guarantee sustainable food production and food security.