Agrobiológica Sustentabilidade to invest BRL100 million in expansion

The Brazilian company, Agrobiológica Sustentabilidade, plans to invest BRL100 million in the expansion and modernization of its factory, in addition to promoting new research and product development projects.

Agrobiológica Sustentabilidade is a company that specialize in biological products that belong to the Crop Care holding company. 

″The new and modern manufacturing complex, located in Itápolis in the state of São Paulo, will be able to launch 20 new products over the next production cycles,″ said Marcelo Pessanha (CEO of Crop Care).

Under the extensive expansion process, more than 30 new sales staff will be hired, in addition to market research and development personnel.

According to Pessanha, new vacancies will also soon be created for positions in the company's industrial segment. 

″The future of agriculture lies in safe technologies, produced by highly qualified people who value the environmental agenda and respect legislation, but without neglecting the profitability of producers,″ he added.

Agrobiológica Sustentabilidade hit the milestone of 1.5 million hectares treated with Aptur, a product developed exclusively by the company to control corn leafhopper, one of the most devastating pests that affect Brazilian crops.

The active principle of this technology, known as Bioshock, is the fungus, Isaria fumosorosea, one of the most used organisms for the biological control of Dalbulus maidis in Brazil.

The fungus acts through contact, either during the nymph stage when the insects are young or when they are already adults. Once the product is applied on the crop, Isaria fumosorosea causes an infection that affect the leafhoppers, forming an internal colony within the pest that serves as a source of fungus multiplication.

In addition to Isaria fumosorosea, for more effective prevention and elimination of pests, Aptur contains other combined agents, such as metabolites, spores and ready-made structures, which make the application more efficient and offer faster control that are advantages for producers. 

″In recent years, the corn leafhopper has become a major problem for grain producers, and has increased demand for biological and chemical products to combat the pest,″ Pessanha said. 

″Biological products have proven to be a viable alternative, offering better performance in controlling this pest compared to agrochemicals. This fact means that more research is being carried out to search for sustainable solutions to recurrent problems affecting crops,″ he added.

Crop Care is a Brazilian holding company responsible for important brands in the chemical, biological and special fertilizers markets.

Among Crop Care's investees are Agrobiológica Sustentabilidade, a complete and innovative platform for biological and on-farm solutions; Perterra and K2, which have extensive and complete post-patent agrochemical portfolios; and Union Agro, which specializes in special fertilizers and adjuvants

Through partnerships with distributors and cooperatives and direct access to agricultural companies, Crop Care is present in major producing regions in Latin America.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)