Ihara invests in two new R&D centers

Brazilian crop protection company Ihara began the operation of two new research and development centers, one in Sarandi (PR) and the other in Primavera do Leste (MT), to research and develop solutions that will meet the needs of farmers in the field in all regions of the country. 

The company already has a research and development center at its headquarters in Sorocaba (SP), which has a fully irrigated experimental station studying 70 new products for more than 40 different cultures during the 20/21 harvest.  

To further contribute to the progress of Brazilian agriculture, the company invested more than R$40 million in the construction of these two new units, which have already begun operating in the 2020/21 harvest. The Sarandi and Primavera do Leste centers cover 24 hectares and 50 hectares, respectively, and aim to study technologies that will help Brazilian farmers increase the production and supply of food.  

In addition to researching how new substances produced by Ihara can solve the phytosanitary problems affecting the most diverse range of crops, the centers also play a key role in analyzing and developing technologies that will meet the demands of Brazilian agriculture.  

José Gonçalves, President of Ihara, stated that the company constantly invests in technologies to develop new solutions and increase knowledge about existing products, with the aim of meeting the needs of rural producers in the fight against the main factors negatively affecting their crops. “These new R&D centers will offer greater capacity for all our studies. Our country has a huge crop production potential, but it also has a range of pests, diseases and weeds hindering the rise in productivity. To combat them, we need to offer increasingly effective solutions according to each region,” he said.

The choice of cities was strategic for Ihara. The two regions are major agricultural producers and have different climates, making it possible to analyze technologies and their effects in different conditions year-round. Brazil is a privileged country in terms of climate and land, which facilitate the planting of various crops and offer more than one harvest per year, depending on cultivation. However, the tropical environment also assists the proliferation of bacteria, fungi, insects and weeds, which can damage crops and hinder agricultural production. 

Gonçalves highlighted the importance of constructing the units in these regions. “For years, we have been conducting studies in other areas, in cooperation with research institutes, to expand the development of new technologies throughout the country. Now, with the new research centers, we can contribute even more with knowledge and new agricultural techniques and be closer to producers. However, it is important to stress that we will not fail to act with all renowned public and private research institutes, which are very important for the company and the country,” he added.

In 2020, Ihara obtained registration for the units from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), so their operation can already started. “We are taking a very important step to support rural producers, whether small, medium or large, as well as to advance the sector as a whole,” Gonçalves said in conclusion.