Syngenta closes ten stores in Southern Brazil

Syngenta has confirmed to AgroPages the closure of approximately ten stores in the Brazilian states of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul. The closure of Atua Agro stores, the company's brand established in 2019, comes after a challenging period for the agri-input distribution sector in Brazil. The situation worsened with the climatic disaster that occurred in Rio Grande do Sul, which devastated a large portion of the crops. 

Syngenta said this move aimed to "gain efficiency in certain areas such as planning and logistics." As a result, the multinational, controlled by the Chinese state-owned ChemChina, stated that it identified the need to prioritize the states in the Midwest region of Brazil, opening new stores in Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Goiás.

"The decision to discontinue some Atua Agro stores, considering that those remaining open can serve our customers with the desired quality and proximity, strengthens the presence of our field technical team for farmer support in the regions, with efficient logistics as support," Syngenta argued.

In Brazil, Syngenta organized its input distribution business through the Synap platform, which includes, in addition to Atua Agro, the Jangada, Dipagro, and Agrocerrado stores, totaling more than 70 stores. "In addition to the four already established brands, we recently announced the acquisition of Produtécnica, still pending approval by CADE (an antitrust government agency), which will bring even greater gains in planning and logistics," Syngenta said.

Produtécnica is a small network of six stores with a presence in the Brazilian states of Tocantins, Maranhão, and Piauí. "We will continue our efforts to strengthen partnerships with our distribution network and cooperatives, with which we are increasingly closer," Syngenta said in conclusion.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)