Brasília – Eurochem has opened a mine and plant complex in Serra do Salitre, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Its inauguration ceremony was attended by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The fertilizer plant will have an annual production capacity of 1 million tonnes of advanced phosphate fertilizers, 15% of the country’s output. Pictured above, Brazilian senior officials with workers during the inauguration of the plant.
According to the government, Brazil currently accounts for approximately 8% of the global fertilizer consumption, ranking fourth. However, Brazil currently imports about 85% of its overall crop nutrient needs. In a speech during the ceremony, Lula said more investments have been made for fertilizers to be produced domestically. “If Brazil is an agricultural country of extraordinary potential, nearly unrivalled now, due to its high level of investment in science and technology and genetics, why aren’t at least self-sufficient in the fertilizers we need?” he said.
In order to cutting Brazil’s reliance on fertilizer imports, an initiative led Vice President and Development, Industry, Trade and Services Minister Geraldo Alckmin approved last November the guidelines and actions for a new National Fertilizer Plant, aimed to meet 45% to 50% of the domestic demand by 2050.
With a total project investment of nearly USD 1 billion, the plant complex is Swiss-headquartered EuroChem’s first vertical project integrating mining, processing, production and fertilizer distribution outside Europe. The company has been present in the country since 2016, following the acquisition of Fertilizantes Tocantins and Fertilizantes Heringer.
The facility in Serra do Salitre offers integrated phosphate fertilizer production, with low water consumption, a fully closed water circuit, and a clean energy generation system that re-uses its own steam and generates up to 40% of the entire facility’s energy needs.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
