The South American giant is the world's 4th largest consumer of NPK chemical fertilizers - made from nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - used to prepare the soil for soybean, corn, cotton and sugar cane fields. and coffee.

It imports approximately 80% of these inputs, and almost a quarter of these purchases come from Russia, its main supplier.

While the Brazilian government is approaching other foreign suppliers, including Canada, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco, and seeking to revive domestic fertilizer production, farmers are interested in so-called "emerging" products.

Among them are the natural remineralizers (or "agro-minerals") obtained from nutrient-rich rocks, crushed and then spread in the fields before sowing.

While other countries such as France, the United States, Canada, India and Australia use these remineralizers, Brazil, a leading agricultural power, is the most advanced in this area.

"Brazil is a tropical country and the rains carry away the nutrients from the soil. The rock powder allows a renewal of its ecosystem and an improvement in its performance", explains to AFP Marcio Rémedio, director of geology and mineral resources. of the Geological Service of Brazil, linked to the Ministry of Mines and Energy.

Approved as an agricultural input by a law of 2013, remineralizers "also allow the roots of plants to develop more and to capture the nutrients present in the soil", specifies Suzi Huff Theodoro, geologist and researcher at the University of Brasília.

Rock powder used as a natural fertilizer in a field in Padre Bernardo, Brazil May 19, 2022 EVARISTO SA AFP

"Rocks with the right profile can be found in many parts of Brazil and the price is much cheaper" than chemicals, she adds.

The powder can for example be produced by mining companies from their residues, as long as these do not contain potentially toxic elements.

Almost no more chemical fertilizers

"According to a study carried out last year, remineralizers are used on almost 5% of the Brazilian agricultural surface. By the end of the year, this figure will be much more significant because the demand from the 30 Brazilian suppliers accredited is unprecedented.

"Most have already sold all their annual production, both to large and medium-sized farms and to small farms, especially agroecological ones", indicates the researcher.

A farmer sprays a natural fertilizer made from rocks in a field in Padre Bernardo, on May 19, 2022 in Brazil EVARISTO SA AFP

Founder of the Associated Group for Sustainable Agriculture (GAAS), which brings together more than 700 farmers, researchers and consultants, the soybean and corn producer Rogério Vian began by using products made from micro-organisms extracted from the native forest. , sprayed at the time of sowing.

These serve to control pests and help plants assimilate nutrients from the soil.

For nine years, on his farm in the state of Goiás (center-west), he has been preparing his own organic inputs and combining them with remineralizers.

From now on, on his 1,000 hectares, he uses almost no more chemical fertilizers and even not at all for the cultivation of soybeans.

“I reduced my fertilization and seed treatment costs by 50%, while maintaining good productivity,” he says.

A farmer sprays natural fertilizer in a field in Padre Bernardo on May 19, 2022 in Brazil EVARISTO SA AFP

"Thanks to its great biodiversity, Brazil has enormous potential in terms of tools and ways of working, which we do not yet know".

"Irreversible Evolution"

For José Carlos Polidoro, a researcher from the Brazilian agricultural research organization (Embrapa), the country will continue to consume NPK fertilizers but it must bet on these natural products.

"Biological and biomineral fertilizers, made from residues from mining activities, biological residues from agro-industry and sewage sludge currently represent 5% of the Brazilian fertilizer market, but they can help reduce by 20% our imports," he said.

A backhoe picks up rock powder used as a natural fertilizer in a field in Pedro Bernardo, on May 19, 2022 in Brazil EVARISTO SA AFP

Deputy Technical Director of the National Agricultural Confederation, Reginaldo Minaré also evokes the growing use by soybean producers of rhizobacteria "which remove the nitrogen present in the air to restore it to the plants", thus reducing the consumption of industrial fertilizers nitrogenous.

But the growing adoption of these different products is not without obstacles, notes Carlos Pitol, a technical consultant in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and a member of GAAS.

"Farmers have little technical assistance and find it difficult to obtain credit to invest more. But the evolution of our production system is irreversible".

© 2022 AFP