Bankruptcy Protection Cases in Agriculture Increased by 432% in Brazil
Unibaio, a biotechnology startup, was awarded US$ 1 million at Grow-NY 2024, an international competition for innovation in food and agriculture, for developing natural particles that enhance the penetration of pesticides and fertilizers into plants, optimizing input use in the field. Unibaio plans to expand its operations and launch a new technology in 2025, aiming to reduce agrochemical use by up to 80%. (Unibaio)
Los Grobo Agropecuaria and its subsidiary Agrofina announced that they will not make the payment of various notes, totaling a debt of US$ 10 million until March 31, 2025. Los Grobo is 90% controlled by the Victoria Capital Partners fund and 10% by entrepreneurs Gustavo Grobocopatel and Matilde Grobocopatel. (La Nación)
Rural Society of Rosario (SRR) has denounced excessive increases in provincial taxes and called for the elimination of the Gran Propietario Rural Tax (GPR), which causes producers with more than 300 hectares to pay up to 80% more on the Rural Real Estate Tax. (FADA)
In 2024, Argentina achieved the highest soybean export volume in the last five years, with 33 million tonnes expected for the 2024/25 harvest. (Rosario Stock Exchange)
Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) registered its second wheat cultivar, UFVT N2401, with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa). Developed by the UFV Wheat Program, the variety is recommended for irrigated cultivation in tropical regions and stands out for its earliness, high grain yield, and superior flour quality for baking. (UFV)
Sugarcane crushing in the Center-South region dropped 54.30% in the first half of December, totaling 8.83 million tonnes, due to the record harvest of the previous year. Sugar production in the region reached 348 thousand tonnes, a 63% decrease, with the share of cane allocated to sugar production reduced to 35.67%. (Unica)
The 2024 rice harvest in the State of Santa Catarina is expected to reach 1.2 million tonnes, representing a 12% increase compared to the previous year, primarily due to favorable weather conditions. (Sindarroz)
The soybean and biodiesel production chain is expected to reach US$ 96.6 billion in the 3Q2024, representing 23.2% of Brazil’s agribusiness GDP and 5.1% of the national GDP. (Cepea; Abiove)
Minister Flávio Dino of the Supreme Federal Court suspended State Law No. 12.709/2024, which dealt with the Soy Moratorium. The law, set to take effect on January 1, 2025, would have prohibited granting tax incentives and public land to agro-industrial companies that purchased products from recently deforested areas. (STF)
The government vetoed the inclusion of rural insurance as a mandatory expense in the 2025 Budget, according to the Budget Guidelines Law (LDO), and reduced the funds allocated to rural insurance to approximately US$ 155.83 million, while the productive sector requested US$ 646.20 million. (DOU)
São Paulo agribusiness was the leader in Brazilian exports in 2024 with a volume of US$ 23.6 billion, representing 30% of the national total. The state saw significant growth in exports of beef, soybeans, and ethanol. (SAA-SP; MAPA)
The federal government launches the Agro Brasil + Sustainable platform, developed by the Ministry of Agriculture to centralize environmental compliance data in the agricultural sector and facilitate access. The expectation is that the platform will contribute to the increase of Brazilian exports, especially to markets with strict environmental requirements. (Mapa)
The northern ports of Brazil were responsible for 39% of the country’s soybean and corn exports between January and October 2024, handling 47.7 million tonnes. The States of Pará and Amazonas led the exports, accounting for 59.4% of the total volume. For corn, 80% of the exports came from these states. The region’s installed capacity is 52 million tonnes, with ongoing investments aimed at reaching 100 million tonnes over the next five years. (ANTAQ)
The number of bankruptcy protection (similar to USA Chapter 11) cases in the agricultural sector increased by 432% in 2024. (Serasa Experian)
The Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela, highlighted the positive performance of agricultural and forestry exports, which grew by 11% between January and November 2024, totaling US$15.2 billion, with a trade surplus of US$10.2 billion and an increase of 21% compared to the same period in 2023, with record fruit exports. The segment became the country’s second largest in international transactions this year. (Minagri)
The Colombian banana sector showed a 5% increase in exports compared to the previous year. The Colombian Banana Growers Association (Augura) highlights the strengthening of the market and strategies to ensure competitiveness, with a focus on fair labor practices and sustainability for 2025. (Augura)
Ecuador became the world’s largest exporter of fresh bananas in 2024, with a 31% share of the global market, exporting 217,609 tonnes and generating US$133.9 million in revenue between January and September. (Ecuador Banana Exporters Association)
Berry exports are expected to reach around 529,000 tonnes, representing a 2.22% decrease compared to 541,000 tonnes exported in 2023. The total berry production in the country was 540,980 tonnes in 2023, and the estimate for 2024 is 486,881 tonnes. The slowdown is attributed to factors such as rising input costs, climate change, and the appreciation of the Mexican peso. (Aneberries)
The country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.4% in the 3Q2024, accumulating a 4.3% increase for the year. The agricultural sector experienced a 2.9% rise in the quarter, with notable growth in soybean, wheat, rice, and sugarcane production. (Central Bank; Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock)
In 2024, Paraguay recorded a record number of cattle slaughterings, with 1.8 million heads processed, a 5% increase compared to the previous year. However, livestock farmers faced challenges due to falling beef prices and rising production costs, resulting in reduced profit margins. (CPC; SENACSA)
Agrofertil inaugurated a new silo in Los Cedrales, Alto Paraná, with a capacity to receive 4,000 tonnes of grains daily and store 31,000 tonnes. With this addition, the company expands its storage network to 25 strategic units in Paraguay, reaching a total capacity of 678,000 tons. (Agrofertil)
The Agro Rural Program sold 1,080 tonnes of island guano in the Junín region in 2024, benefiting 940 farmers and covering approximately 1,080 hectares. Collection occurred in protected areas, supported by a national infrastructure to ensure accessibility for farmers. (Agro Rural)
From January to November 2024, Peru exported 6.28 million kilograms of cocoa husk, totaling US$ 17.1 million. The leading exporters were Machu Picchu Foods SAC, with US$ 13.8 million, followed by Exportadora Romex SA (US$ 2 million) and others. (Agrodata)
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