Brazilian Senate Approves US$ 2 Billion Fertilizer Incentive Plan
Brazil
Anvisa approved, in compliance with court decisions, toxicological evaluations of two pesticides based on chlorantraniliprole (Zhongshan); as well as fenpropimorph + prothioconazole + trifloxystrobin (Agro-Lead); and mesotrione (Tecnomyl). (Official Gazette of Brazil, Res. 3177 to 3180 – published on 08/17/26, Anvisa)
The Brazilian Senate approved the bill creating the Fertilizer Industry Development Program – Profert, which may grant up to US$ 2 billion in federal tax credits from 2027 – 2031. The annual limit will be approximately US$ 392 million and companies may receive credits equivalent to up to 20% of eligible expenditures. Profert covers new plants, expansions and modernization projects involving fertilizers, raw materials, soil remineralizers, biofertilizers and other agricultural bioinputs. The bill proceeds to presidential sanction. Brazil imports approximately 85% of the fertilizers used in farming, while limited availability and high prices of sulfur and other raw materials are pressuring domestic phosphate fertilizer production. The National Fertilizer Plan aims to increase domestic production to cover between 45% and 50% of demand by 2050. (Brazilian Senate; MAPA; MDIC)
Embrapa, Arthur Bernardes Foundation and Loam Bio entered into a cooperation to select three to five Trichoderma isolates and develop a production process based on biphasic incubation. The work will assess the control of white mold, damping-off and root rot in soybean and watery root rot in corn. The agreement runs from August 13th, 2026 through February 13th, 2028. Financial terms were not disclosed. (Official Gazette of Brazil, Cooperation Agreement Notice – published on 08/17/26, Embrapa)
Revenue from biological and natural solutions from Vittia increased 34.5% to approximately US$ 6.2 million in the 2Q26. Consolidated net revenue reached approximately US$ 22.4 million (+15.1%). Adjusted EBITDA remained negative at approximately US$ 3.3 million, compared with negative adjusted EBITDA of approximately US$ 4.1 million in 2Q25. (Vittia)
Banco do Brasil, the main agricultural lender in Brazil, reported the delinquency rate reached 6.27% over-90-day in the ag portfolio in June 2026, compared with 6.22% in March 2026 and 3.16% in June 2025. New delinquencies, however, declined from 1.77% in 1Q26 to 1.37% in the 2Q26. (Banco do Brasil)
Embrapa identified bacteria with the potential to make atmospheric nitrogen available to cotton plants. In greenhouse pot trials conducted in 2025, inoculated plants without nitrogen fertilization developed similarly to plants that received the recommended nitrogen dose. The bacteria were isolated from Gossypium barbadense and tested in commercial upland cotton. (Embrapa)
DBN Biotech, the biotechnology unit of Chinese group Beijing Dabeinong, plans to acquire an experimental site and establish a research center in Campinas, State of São Paulo. The operation in Brazil should initially focus on soybean technologies and later expand to corn and cotton. The company aims to reach at least 30% of the ag biotechnology market in Brazil by 2038. DBN has already obtained CTNBio approval for three soybean events providing herbicide tolerance and insect resistance. (DBN Biotech; Suping Geng)
Fábio Torretta was appointed vice president at Helm in Brazil. He has more than 30 years of experience in agribusiness, previously led Arysta LifeScience and UPL in Brazil and headed the global sustainable solutions business at UPL. (Helm Brasil)
The Brazilian National Fertilizer Association will hold the 13th Brazilian Fertilizer Congress on August 25th at the Sheraton São Paulo WTC Hotel in São Paulo, State of São Paulo. Under the theme “The Future of Fertilizers: Innovation for More Efficient Agriculture”, four panels will discuss geopolitics, the agribusiness economy, reindustrialization of the fertilizer industry and proposals for Brazil’s next federal administration. (ANDA)
Fertilizer Purchasing Power Index fell 5% in July from June, when it closed at 1.42. A lower index represents an improvement in the exchange ratio for farmers. (The Mosaic Company)
Fertilizer prices increased while lower margins and restricted credit reduced demand for other inputs for the 2026/27 season. Farmers began prioritizing products considered essential and postponing some purchases of crop protection and specialty inputs. (Central Bank; IMEA)
The deadline for pesticide registration holders to upload component registrations into the Unified Electronic Information, Petition and Assessment System (SISPA) ends on August 24th, 2026. The phase began on May 27th. Migration of technical products with complete dossiers will run from August 27th through October 24th. According to the registration coordinator at Bequisa, Lilian Gonçalves, the schedule remained in force as of August 14th, with no extension, as part of the modernization and digitalization of pesticide registration and post-registration procedures at MAPA. (Official Gazette of Brazil, Ordinance SDA/MAPA No. 1631/2026, MAPA; Lilian Gonçalves)
Agricultural input distribution revenue reached US$ 33.5 billion in 2025 (+2.4%), compared with US$ 32.7 billion in 2024, according to the 11th National Distribution Survey presented at the 2026 Andav Congress. Distributors provided 20% of the financing used by farmer clients, increasing their exposure to payment defaults and bankruptcy protection (similar to US Chapter 11th) proceedings. (Andav)
Estimated crop funding costs for the 2026/27 second corn crop in the State of Mato Grosso reached approximately US$ 726/ha in June, according to the State of Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics. Fertilizers and soil amendments accounted for approximately US$ 295/ha, equivalent to approximately 40% of crop funding costs. The projected price of approximately US$ 8.62 per 60 kg bag was below the level required to cover total operating costs of approximately US$ 1,167/ha and full production costs of approximately US$ 1,420/ha. (IMEA)
Maripá mining company has announced the production of soil remineralizer based on potassium diorite and gabbro norite. Initial investment reached US$ 7.7 million and could increase to US$ 11.6 million. According to the company, capacity will begin at 100 K tonnes, reach 300 K tonnes within three years and could rise to 600 K tonnes/year in the final stage. The company has not yet provided the MAPA registration certificate, investment schedule or complete agronomic trial results. (Mineradora Maripá)
The Campo Limpo reverse logistics system correctly processed 76 K tonnes of empty packages of pesticide in 2025 (+11%), the largest annual volume since the program began. Cumulative volume since 2002 exceeded 900 K tonnes. According to CropLife Brasil, 92% of the packages received were recycled and the remainder was sent for coprocessing or incineration. The target announced for 2026 is 87.8 K tonnes. (CropLife Brasil)
MAPA carried out a new distribution of pesticide registration requests for evaluation by Anvisa and Ibama, in compliance with Act No. 62/2025. Requests filed in different years were divided into three groups: biological/low-impact, organic and chemical products. Listed companies were authorized to proceed with the procedures and fee payments before the other agencies involved in the assessments. (Circular Letter No. 2/2026/CGAA/DSV/SDA/MAPA)
The State of Goiás Agricultural Defense Agency seized more than 5 tonnes of empty packages of pesticides at an unauthorized recycling facility in Vianópolis, State of Goiás. The inspection conducted on August 5th found 588 kg of plastic pesticide packages and 4.7 tonnes of cardboard boxes, as well as equipment used to crush the material. The packages were sent to an authorized Campo Limpo facility and the recycling company was fined. (Agrodefesa)
Field trials conducted in Londrina, State of Paraná, concluded that Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Trichoderma harzianum, citric acid and sulfur applied as seed treatments or combined with foliar application at V3 reduced the severity of common bacterial blight, anthracnose and angular leaf spot in common bean. B. amyloliquefaciens and T. harzianum also increased grain yield and reduced the proportion of shriveled seeds. The study covered two dry-season trials and one rainy-season trial with the cultivars IPR Campos Gerais and IPR Tangará but still requires validation at other locations. (UEL; IDR-Paraná; UFPR)
Bioma, a biological input company controlled by Cogny, presented a new biofungicide product at the 2026 Andav Congress. The product was developed over five years with Orygen and contains approximately 40 metabolites produced by microorganisms, according to the company. More than 20 would have direct antifungal activity and 17 would induce plant defense responses. Initial use will target soybean, with possible expansion to beans and cotton. (Bioma)
Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts appointed a specialist to coordinate an audit of the Petrobras Nitrogen Fertilizer Unit III completion project in Três Lagoas, State of Mato Grosso do Sul. The appointment runs through November 13th. Petrobras approved an investment of approximately US$ 1 billion in April to complete the unit, which will have capacity to produce 3.6 thousand tonnes of urea per day and is expected to begin commercial operations in 2029. The audit was authorized on July 6th and has not yet produced findings. (Official Gazette of Brazil, Ordinance-SecPessoas No. 110 – published on 08/17/26, TCU; Petrobras)
Embrapa warned that high humidity, limited sunlight and mild temperatures favor leaf spots, powdery mildew, rusts and Fusarium head blight in winter cereals. Consecutive rain and temperatures from 24°C to 30°C increase the risk of Fusarium head blight epidemics, which can reduce yields by up to 25% and contaminate grain with mycotoxins. When rainfall is forecast for the next 24 to 72 hours, Embrapa recommends preventative fungicide spraying and a second treatment seven to ten days later if further rain is expected. (Embrapa’s Wheat Unit)
Studies by Fundecitrus and Esalq/USP identified increasing insecticide resistance in populations of the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) in citrus-farming regions of the State of São Paulo. The insect transmits citrus greening, whose incidence in the citrus belt of the State of São Paulo and the Triângulo/Southwest region of the State of Minas Gerais increased from 44.35% of orange trees in 2024 to 47.63% in 2025. (Fundecitrus; Esalq/USP; IHARA)
The 22nd Meeting of the Laboratory Network for Recommendation, Standardization and Dissemination of Microbial Inoculant Technologies for Agricultural Use will be held on August 19th and 20th at the FIEP Events Center in Curitiba, State of Paraná. Embrapa, CropLife Brasil and the Brazilian Association representing the biological input industry will organize discussions on beneficial microorganisms, inoculant quality control, product validation, regulation and biological control. (22nd Relare; Embrapa)
MAPA published 66 formulated pesticide registrations and 44 technical product registrations. (Official Gazette of Brazil, CGAA Acts No. 49 and No. 50 – published on 08/18/26, MAPA)
As of August 14th, MAPA approved 585 pesticide registrations in 2026, but the reduction of the time for approval has not eliminated the backlog. Of the 261 technical products registered, 257 are Equivalent Technical Products (ETP). Among the 324 formulated products, 264 are chemical products, including 249 equivalent formulated products (FP/ETP), and 60 are biological products. The average approval time for ETPs fell from 5.5 years in 2025 to 3.9 years in 2026, while the average for FP/ETPs declined from 5.3 to 4.2 years. In 2025, lawsuits accelerated the approval of chemical formulated products by approximately 1.5 years but did not reduce the backlog. More than 2,800 applications in this category are still waiting for evaluation. (AllierBrasil)
On August 10th, Soyagro Group informed that the court in the State of Mato Grosso authorized the processing of bankruptcy protection (similar to US Chapter 11th) request. The agricultural input dealer has six stores in the States of Mato Grosso and Pará. The group reported approximately US$ 22.5 million in receivables from customers, including approximately US$ 7.8 million linked to 14 bankruptcy protection cases filed by farmers. Bank debt exceeds US$ 11.7 million. The case is being reviewed by the 4th Civil Court in Sinop, State of Mato Grosso. (Soyagro Group)
The Brazilian National Mining Agency imposed seven fines on Itafos Arraias Mineração e Fertilizantes for violations involving the tailings containment dam at the company’s unit in Arraias, State of Tocantins. The order published on August 17th gave the company 20 days to pay or appeal. Amounts were not disclosed. (Official Gazette of Brazil, List No. 54/2026 – published on 08/17/26, ANM)
Embrapa, Research Support and Development Foundation and Multicel Pigmentos signed a US$ 16.7 thousand service contract to establish a technical protocol for using copper sources in soybean seed treatment. The contract was signed on August 14th, 2026, and runs through August 14th, 2028. (Official Gazette of Brazil, Contract SAIC No. 20900.26/0134-6 – published on 08/17/26, Embrapa)
Researchers expanded the known area occurrence of Gargaphia lunulata to 12 Brazilian states and reported Barbados cherry as a host plant for the first time in Brazil. The insect, associated with more than 30 host plants including soybean and beans, caused leaf yellowing, curling and drying. The study recommends monitoring spontaneous vegetation near commercial crops. (Esalq/USP; Hirosaki University)
Latin America
Corteva’s net sales in Latin America reached US$ 679 million in the 2Q26 (+1%) but organically declined 7%, excluding currency and portfolio effects. Crop protection sales accounted for US$ 519 million, flat on a reported basis and down 7% organically, while seed sales reached US$ 160 million (+4%; -5% organically). The company attributed the performance to crop protection pricing pressure and shifts in the timing of customer purchases. (Corteva)
Adama reported global sales of US$ 1.06 billion in 2Q26 (-3%). In Latin America, sales declined 3% to US$ 209 million. In Brazil, higher volumes in soybean and corn were offset by lower prices, lower farmer profitability and increased competition. (Adama)
The Argentine executive Martin Inhargue was appointed Global Finance Transformation Lead at Syngenta, based in Basel, leaving his role as Finance Head for Latin America. Desmond Dai, former CFO of Syngenta China, took over the regional finance leadership. (Syngenta)
Diaporthe ueckerae was isolated for the first time from soybean seeds showing decay in Argentina. In a trial with 210 lines conducted during the 2023/24 season in Zavalla, Santa Fe, 25% of seed samples showed decay. Among 28 Diaporthe isolates, most were identified as D. longicolla and one as D. ueckerae. A pathogenicity test using the susceptible Williams 82 cultivar produced necrotic stem lesions 11 days after inoculation. (UNR; Conicet; MSU)
In Argentina, sales from Adecoagro’s fertilizer segment, which controls Profertil, increased 20.1% to US$ 185.5 million in 2Q26. Adjusted EBITDA more than doubled to US$ 121.2 million (+109.7%), while urea production increased 21.6% to 340 thousand tonnes. (Adecoagro)
Experts at the Aapresid Congress, held in Rosario, Argentina, said bioinputs adoption depends on local validation, agronomic knowledge and farmer confidence. The bioinput market reached US$ 118.7 million and 17.4 million treated hectares in 2025, according to a study from the Chamber of Agricultural Health and Fertilizers. The sector grew by an annual average of 11% over the previous five years. Biostimulants and biofertilizers accounted for 87.5% of the market, while biological control products represented 12.5%. (Casafe; Aapresid Congress)
According to researchers from Brazil and Ecuador, soybean seed treatment with chelated nickel doses ranging from 2.4 to 2.5 g/ha increased nitrogen nutritional efficiency and initial plant growth in greenhouse experiments. Evaluations were conducted 30 days after emergence. According to the authors, silicon also showed potential to mitigate toxicity caused by the 7 g/ha nickel dose. Results still require field validation. (UFLA; Unesp; UTMACH)
Marcelo Neves was appointed License Director for Seeds & Traits at Corteva in Brazil and Paraguay. Neves has more than 20 years of experience in seeds, biotechnology and crop protection and previously worked at Bayer and Monsanto. (Corteva)
The Agricultural Institute of Colombia eliminated the mandatory five-year update of registrations for establishments that market ag inputs and seeds. Registrations now have indefinite validity. Changes involving ownership, address, corporate name or contact information must still be reported. (ICA)
The Secretariat of Environment of Campeche informed that the most recent cases of bee deaths in Ukum, Hopelchén, Mexico, were not linked to agrochemicals. Earlier cases were assessed by a committee formed by government agencies, organizations, beekeepers and farmers. The agency asked the National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality to help designate an official institution to investigate future incidents. It also warned that unsubstantiated classifications could affect honey sales and prices in Campeche. (Semabicce)
Experimental inoculation with Trichoderma harzianum TH1 reduced the avocado whitefly Tetraleurodes perseae population by more than 85% in Mexico. The treatment also increased leaf formation by 23%, doubled leaf-bud production and doubled the presence of the predatory mite Euseius hibisci. The isolate was obtained from avocado roots and rhizosphere and has not been presented as a commercial product. (UMSNH; UAT; TecNM)
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