Agrocete invests BRL25 million in bioinputs factory

Brazilian multinational Agrocete has revealed to AgroPages that it will invest BRL25 million (US$5.13 million) to build a new bioinputs manufacturing unit.

According to Agrocete, one of the largest Brazilian companies manufacturing adjuvants and physiological, biological, and crop nutrition products, the goal is to double production capacity.

"The expansion of the manufacturing unit (located in the Brazilian state of Paraná) is necessary to increase our production of biological inputs," explains Guilherme de Figueiredo, Commercial Director of Agrocete.

He stated that the company aimed to capitalize on the growing trend in the agribusiness specialty market, hence investing in sustainable technology to develop new solutions for producers.

"Brazil is the country that applies this type of technology the most in crops, whether for biological pest control, biological inoculants, or biofertilizers. More than being significant consumers of this technology, Brazilian companies have been a global reference in producing these bioinputs," he added.

Figueiredo revealed to AgroPages that Agrocete planned to launch new products in the national and international markets besides expanding its manufacturing facility.

In 2023, the Brazilian multinational launched the first biological product with three functions for soybean cultivation, NOD PHOS.

The bioinput combined phosphorus solubilization with nitrogen fixation and growth promotion when used in soybean cultivation at planting time—whether as a seed treatment or spraying in the planting furrow.

The solution combined three specific strains of bacteria in the same package, enabling plants to have better root development, more vigorous growth, higher productivity, and improved utilization of phosphate fertilization.

New biological products will be launched next year, and a schedule of launches is already planned for 2027. The manufacturing unit is also expected to be inaugurated by the end of 2024.

"Investments in automation and robotics will be essential for the company to sustain its growth and introduce innovations in the agricultural market," Agrocete concluded.

Founded in 1980, Agrocete is a pioneer in producing special fertilizers and inoculants in Brazil and has units in the United States and Paraguay.

Brazil is the country that applies the most biological inputs in its plantations, according to data from the National Association of Producers and Importers of Inoculants (ANPII), being a market that shows growth above 15% per year. In 2023 alone, Brazil's market is expected to grow by 17.3%.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)