Currently, Brazil occupies the 4th position in the world with about 8% of the global consumption of fertilizers, with potassium being the main nutrient used by national producers (38%). Next, phosphorus appears with 33% of total fertilizer consumption, and nitrogen, with 29%. Together, they form the acronym NPK, so used in rural areas.
According to data from the National Association for the Diffusion of Fertilizers, more than 85% of the fertilizers used in the country are imported, showing a high level of dependence on imports in a market dominated by few suppliers. This growing dependence leaves the Brazilian economy, strongly supported by agribusiness, vulnerable to fluctuations in the international fertilizer market.
In order to reduce dependence on Russian fertilizer imports, alerted by the war in Ukraine, the Brazilian government is looking for alternatives. At the Ministry of Agriculture, the concern with the lack of fertilizers is with the summer crop, planted between September and October, due to the logistical “mess” resulting from the War.
The National Fertilizer Plan (NFP) brings measures for the next 28 years focused on reducing the current dependence of Brazilian rural producers on imported fertilizers and increasing national production.
The Plan is a reference for planning the fertilizer sector for the next 28 years (until 2050), promoting the development of national agribusiness and considering the complexity of the sector, focusing on the main links in the chain: traditional industry, rural producers, emerging technologies, use of minerals, innovation and environmental sustainability.
In a global context of uncertainties, the preparation of the plan began in 2021 and was formalized by Decree. The document also establishes the National Council for Fertilizers and Plant Nutrition, a consultative and deliberative body that coordinates and monitors the implementation of the National Fertilizer Plan.
The implementation of the NPF actions can minimize the external dependence of these nutrients, which arrive in the country mainly from Russia, China, Canada, Morocco and Belarus. The United States, Qatar, Israel, Egypt and Germany complete the list of the ten largest fertilizer exporters to Brazil in 2021, according to data from the Ministry of Economy.
The NFP will seek to readjust the balance between national production and imports by meeting its growing demand for fertilizer products and technologies. It is intended to reduce dependence on imports, in 2050, from 85% to 45%, even if the demand for fertilizers doubles.
Minister Tereza Cristina explained that it is not about the country achieving self-sufficiency, but about having autonomy, with a reduced percentage of external dependence for the supply of fertilizers to the producer. According to her, it is necessary to reinforce the “fertilizer diplomacy”, expanding the purchasing relationships of these nutrients on a global scale.
SOURCE: Ministry of Agriculture