Openeem, pioneer in 'botanicide' agrochemicals, reports 90% sales growth

Brazilian company Openeem Bioscience announced a 90% increase in sales, citing high repurchase rates driven by growing farmer adoption of "green chemistry and sustainable inputs" for pest control, disease management, and crop biostimulation.

Openeem highlights that the 2023-2024 growing season solidified "a new market category for agrochemicals—botanical-based products or 'botanicides'"—a discovery by this 100% Brazilian company. 

"We experienced exceptionally high repurchase rates during the 2023-2024 season, indicating consistent potential adoption of this new agrochemical technology. Our target for the 2024-2025 season is to double company sales again," stated Fernando Manzeppi, new partner and Commercial and Marketing Vice President at Openeem.

Manzeppi, an executive with experience at chemical industry giants such as Nufarm and Sumitomo Chemical, said that Openeem has expanded its distribution network to over 100 locations across six states: Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, and Paraná. "We will expand into other key agribusiness areas in the 2024-2025 cycle through new partnerships with major strategic input distributors," he previewed.

The 2023-2024 season also marked the restructuring of Openeem's field technical team. "Investments were made to meet demands through cooperatives, retailers, and direct sales channels," the executive said. The company aims to reach R$400 million in business by 2030.

A single portfolio item, the Valente^® insecticide, covered approximately one million hectares of crops— and was considered "above average for a recent technology, practically in its second commercial season and often facing conservative farmers who are not always quick to adopt management pattern changes."

Founded by entrepreneur Gabriela Lindemann (CEO), Openeem pioneered the discovery of agricultural defensives based on a previously unknown chemical class, Bioactivated Triterpenes^®, extracted from over 300 compounds present in the neem tree, an ancient plant now cultivated by the company in a 500-hectare forest in Pará state.

Fernando Manzeppi and Gabriela Lindemann

Bioactivated Triterpenes^®, which have zero toxicity, support the manufacture of Valente^® insecticide, Brutus^® nematicide, and Bravo^® fungicide (currently in regulatory registration) for various crop diseases.

The botanical-based portfolio, known for high agronomic potency, also includes the Ânima^® brand (biostimulant). For the 2024-2025 season, Manzeppi added, Openeem plans to introduce Gênese^® soil conditioner and Sagaz^® herbicide, plus a specific seed treatment input.

Openeem's agricultural defensive line features standalone applications for specific pests—like Valente^® insecticide—and synergistic use with traditional synthetic agrochemicals and bioinputs to reduce insect resistance to repeatedly used chemical products.

"Valente^®'s formulation allows farmers to use it independently in preventive, early applications targeting pests in initial stages. It is an effective technology for breaking insect reproductive cycles with long residual effects against corn leafhoppers, soybean stink bugs and caterpillars, and whiteflies in beans," explained Leonardo Ferreira, recently appointed Marketing Manager after experience with major crop protection, seed, and biotechnology companies.

According to Ferreira, over the last three soybean seasons, Openeem's development team summarized results from 237 commercial areas where Valente^® insecticide was applied. "We observed 25% more effective pest complex control compared to standard treatments," Ferreira said. "Regarding productivity, there was an average increase of 4.2 bags per hectare."

He added that average results from 157 commercial areas in corn showed 30% better pest complex control versus market standards, plus an 88% reduction in stink bug, leafhopper, caterpillar, and aphid populations, with productivity gains of 6.4 bags per hectare.

"2023-2024 was one of the most challenging seasons in agricultural history," CEO Gabriela Lindemann stated. "We have much to celebrate in our performance, especially regarding botanicide product movement and agronomic results. We have consolidated a distribution model and won important clients, including retailers, cooperatives, seed companies, and major agribusiness groups," she said in conclusion.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)