Amaggi invests in biological input factory in Brazil

The Brazilian multinational agribusiness company Amaggi is investing approximately 120 million reais in constructing a new biological inputs factory in Cuiabá, the capital of Mato Grosso state in Brazil. 

The company expects the plant to become operational in the second half of 2025, and its production facilities will be ready for use in the next harvest season.

According to Amaggi, the goal of establishing their own biological inputs factory is to strengthen sustainable practices, such as regenerative agriculture. "Developed from living organisms like fungi and bacteria from the environment, biological products are essential in sustainable agricultural management," the Brazilian company argued.

The total built area spans 17,586 square meters, though initially, only 4,000 square meters will be occupied. The production capacity is 283,335 liters per month, but production will start with a fermentation capacity of 80,000 liters. Upon becoming operational, the facility will enable a better understanding of each product's fermentation cycle, as well as its formulation and bottling processes.

For now, the biofactory's focus will be meeting Amaggi's internal demand and producing biostimulants and biopesticides. The fungi include Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, and Trichoderma harzianum. The bacteria are Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Bradyrhizobium japonicum.

Production will initially concentrate on bacteria, creating biostimulants and biopesticides. Between 90 and 120 days later, the fungus-based biopesticide plant will become operational.

Amaggi's primary objective is to reduce chemical usage in crop fields, in line with the company's regenerative agriculture practices, which target soil health and restoration. The factory will enable a reduction in the use of insecticides, nematicides, and fertilizers in agricultural production and decrease pollutant emissions.

The company already uses biological inputs, which are effective in controlling diseases and pests. Their use is also associated with improved nutrient absorption by plants, making them essential in sustainable and balanced agricultural management.

The factory's relocation from Sapezal—also in Mato Grosso state—to the state capital, Cuiabá, was driven by strategic considerations, focusing on logistics, talent attraction, and retention. In the capital, the biofactory is closer to the company's headquarters, with easier access to the airport and suppliers.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)