Syngenta announces commercial partnership with Olfar Agro to expand access, benefit farmers

Syngenta, a global leader in agricultural solutions, has just announced a commercial partnership with Olfar Agro, part of the Olfar Group, headquartered in Erechim, Rio Grande do Sul. 

Conducted through the SYNAP commercial platform, the operation – subject to approval by CADE – aims to strengthen the strategy of proximity to Brazilian farmers, as well as expand access to increasingly comprehensive technological and market services and solutions. This is because, through this unprecedented move, the Rio Grande do Sul-based company, which is taking over the management of the Atua Agro stores in Rio Grande do Sul and the Agrocerrado units in Goiás, will be able to leverage its integrated, sustainable, and secure platform that connects all stages of the agribusiness chain from end to end.

Rural producers benefit from this operation's wide range of services, such as grain delivery, financial solutions, and input sales, as well as technical assistance and crop monitoring. Despite the change in management of the stores in these locations, the focus will continue to be on the sale of Syngenta products, which are now added to an even broader portfolio with more service options for farmers offered by Olfar Agro.

André Savino, president of Syngenta Crop Protection in Brazil, explains why the company chose Olfar Agro for this partnership, ″The two companies have strategies that complement each other. Our management format, based on innovation and proximity to the field, includes constant evaluation of operations and appropriate structures with a focus on capturing better business opportunities, serving customers better and better, and Olfar Agro is fully aligned with our objectives.″ 

″Working this way yields continuous learning and consequent evolution, without giving up proximity to customers and the dynamism and simplicity required by the business,″Savino added. 

The Olfar Group, with a consolidated presence in the Southern region of Brazil and recently made strategic investments in the Cerrado, saw in the partnership with Syngenta an opportunity aligned with its objectives of expansion and strengthening in agribusiness. ″For us, the alliance with Syngenta represents a strategic milestone that strengthens our mission of offering complete solutions to rural producers,″ celebrated José Carlos Weschenfelder, president of the Olfar Group. 

According to the executive, ″Today we are already among the main players in the biodiesel operations market in the country and, now, our platform is more comprehensive and capable of increasing our support to farmers.″

Expectations of growth, even after a challenging year

The Olfar Group has been operating in the agricultural sector for almost four decades, with more than 18 years dedicated to direct service to rural producers. Currently, the company's structure operates with 37 grain-receiving units in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, supported by a technical team that annually serves approximately 10,000 farmers in the regions where it operates. The company offers complete and integrated solutions to strengthen productivity and sustainability in the field.

″Even in a challenging scenario for agribusiness in 2024, our forecast is quite optimistic since customers benefiting from the partnership with Syngenta will have access to broader and more strategic support, with monitoring from the sale of grains and inputs to obtaining solutions for crops,″ Weschenfelder reinforced.

″At Syngenta, we believe that the best way to stay close to farmers and meet their needs is through a strong distribution network capable of promoting access to technologies, services, and support dedicated to the success of our customers – and this network includes partners such as cooperatives and distributors, as well as branded stores that are part of the SYNAP commercial platform, a successful network of which Olfar Agro will become a part. We will continue to explore alternatives to better serve and generate value for farmers,″ Savino said.

The intention to establish this partnership was submitted to CADE on January 6, and the agency is now awaiting approval to complete the transactions.