“The challenge is to change the mindset about bioinputs”: Interview with Thales Facanali Martins, new UPL biocontrol manager

UPL announced that Thales Facanali Martins will lead the company's biocontrol marketing management in Brazil.

The agrochemical giant is targeting the biological products market, which has becoming increasing significantly in the country year after year. In this exclusive interview with AgroPages, Martins, who has seven years experience in the biosolutions market, talked about the current market, as well as the company’s goals, plans and perspectives.

The interview is as follows:

What will be your main objective as the company’s new biocontrol manager?

I have several challenges to solve undef this new role, but I can list the first and main two. The first is to technically contribute to a change in "mindset" within the organization, especially in terms of our strengths in the field, to deliver, to farmers, a clear value proposition for using of bio-inputs associated with the conscious use of chemical pesticides, as well as benefits that go beyond sustainability, efficiency in integrated management, and profitability. Once our regenerative management offer is clear in terms if using biosolutions integrated into the portfolio to mitigate future problems and achieve results in the crop, this concept will be increasingly in demand. The second challenge will be to incorporate new biocontrol products, therefore, adding to the company’s currently strong chemical portfolio. These new products and services feature management alternatives, product rotation ideas, the resistance management of chemical molecules, and greater profitability for producers.

What are UPL's plans and goals for this segment?

UPL has big plans for the biosolutions segment. For example, Natural Plant Protection (NPP), a group company created in August last year, aims to structure and enhance the entire portfolio of natural products already commercialized. We already lead this segment globally, and we have an ambitious goal to be recognized as the main partner company of producers, by offering integrated solutions. We are, therefore, investing a lot in people and infrastructure to offer intelligent solutions, through our team’s research and technical capacities.

How can the marketing of biosolutions contribute to better communication and improve the image of agribusiness within society?

Communication about the use of biosolutions, especially concerning their benefits for farmers, society and the environment, is key to raising awareness about this tool as something effective and sustainable. Society needs to know that there are more sustainable and usable modern technologies that ensure lower environmental impact, while achieving the same or even higher production outputs than with traditional management. The image of farmers within society can be greatly improved by the use of these tools to mitigate environmental repercussions, through the conscious use of chemical pesticides and less use of non-renewable sources, to create a regenerative production system.

How big can this market get in Brazil?

Currently, this market in Brazil is estimated to be worth US$2.3 billion in 2021 and could reach US$ 7.1 billion in 2026, corresponding to nearly 40% of global market value. This is only possible due to the growth rate of the entire market of some 22%, almost double the growth of the global market.

What are the next steps and news to be presented?

We will release many related news items over the coming years. We already have 15 new products in the pipeline to be launched soon. In 2022, we will launch a state-of-the-art product in the biocontrol market, which was developed to solve many of issues affecting producers within an innovative formulation. It handling can also be considered one of the benefits of a biological product. In addition, another innovation for sugarcane crops will be launched, which is a high-performance physioactivator that will help increase the profitability of this important crop.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)