Ribeirao Preto: Agrion Fertilizantes plans to produce around 500,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser from sugarcane biomass by 2031, a move aimed at reducing Brazil’s dependence on imported fertilisers, the company’s founder and chief executive Ernani Judice said, Reuters reported.
Brazil, the world’s largest sugar producer, harvests hundreds of millions of tonnes of sugarcane each year. Despite its strong agricultural sector, the country relies heavily on fertiliser imports, making it vulnerable to global supply disruptions.
According to Embrapa, Brazil imports about 85 per cent of the 41 million tonnes of fertiliser it uses annually. Data from consultancy Agrinvest shows that nearly 41 per cent of Brazil’s urea imports in 2025 passed through the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the country’s exposure to geopolitical risks.
Recent tensions involving Iran, following military strikes by Israel and the United States, have pushed up prices of oil and other commodities, drawing attention to Brazil’s reliance on foreign fertiliser supplies.
Speaking at an industry event organised by consultancy Datagro in Ribeirão Preto, Judice said the company plans to convert sugarcane biomass generated at sugar and ethanol mills into fertiliser.
Agrion currently operates three factories in Brazil, including one producing about 40,000 tonnes of fertiliser annually, while two additional plants are under construction. The company expects to expand to 10 plants by 2031.
Under its expansion plan, Agrion aims to produce about 500,000 tonnes of fertiliser annually, which could generate nearly 2 billion Brazilian reais (about $387 million) in revenue.
The project has received investment support from the Global Fund for Coral Reefs, which has already invested $20 million in the company and may increase its funding to $50 million, Judice said.
