The bio-inputs market generates around R$ 7 billion per harvest.

The rise in prices, the reduction in the global supply of agricultural fertilizers, and Brazil's heavy dependence on imports of these inputs—with approximately 88% of the volume used in the country coming from abroad, especially from geopolitically unstable regions—have been a concern for the national agribusiness sector. At a crucial moment for the sector, as producers begin purchasing inputs for the next harvest, the search for alternatives capable of reducing this external dependence is growing—such as bio-inputs, technologies highlighted by the National Fertilizer Plan itself as complementary and strategic tools. With the impacts caused by restrictions on the logistical flow of the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime corridor through which about a third of the world's fertilizer trade passes, the scenario, already pressured by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, has become even more unstable. Even with prospects for a gradual resumption of operations, the effects on prices, availability, and logistical costs are expected to persist over the coming months, reinforcing the search for technologies capable of increasing the nutritional efficiency of crops and reducing some of the dependence on imported inputs. According to data from the Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA), between February and April 2026, Brazil imported 4% less fertilizer and paid 16% more for the volume acquired, while MPLS (Metal-Associated Preservatives) accumulated a 20% increase in the period. “Brazil has a high external dependence on nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which exposes rural producers to international fluctuations in price, supply, and logistics. Although bio-inputs do not completely eliminate the need for mineral fertilizers, they help reduce some of this dependence by enabling the supply of some nutrients from the environment and increasing efficiency and nutritional utilization. In this scenario, bio-inputs become essential tools to ensure greater security, cost stability, and agricultural sovereignty,” argues Thiago Delgado, president of ANPII Bio (National Association for the Promotion and Innovation of the Biological Industry). Delgado also highlights that the national bio-input sector already plays a strong leading role in the global agricultural landscape, generating over R$ 7 billion per harvest in Brazil and concentrating approximately 50% of the Latin American bio-input market. According to data presented at a recent market intelligence event promoted by ANPII Bio, in addition to the country already being among the three largest global markets in the segment, the Brazilian industry accounts for 85% of the production of bio-inputs marketed nationally, consolidating Brazil as one of the main global references in the development of these technologies. “While projects linked to expanding domestic production of mineral fertilizers demand high investments and long-term maturation, biological technologies are already commercially available. Today, Brazil already has a consolidated and expanding sector, capable of developing increasingly advanced solutions, adapted to local tropical conditions and the needs of rural producers,” he continues. Bio-inputs in practice — Bio-inputs are technologies developed from microorganisms, plant extracts, and other compounds of biological origin, capable of acting in different processes related to plant development and the efficiency of agricultural management. In the context of the global fertilizer crisis, these technologies have been gaining ground mainly because they contribute to better use of nutrients already present in the production system, reducing losses and increasing the efficiency of mineral fertilization. In this context, bio-inputs act on different fronts related to the nutritional efficiency of crops, including biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), phosphorus and potassium solubilization, stimulation of root growth, and increased absorption of water and nutrients. “Brazil already has consolidated and internationally recognized cases in the use of these technologies, especially in soybeans, where microorganisms linked to biological nitrogen fixation were decisive in reducing dependence on nitrogen fertilizers and increasing the competitiveness of national production,” continues the president of ANPII Bio. In agriculture, according to Embrapa, inoculation with bacteria of the genus Bradyrhizobium allows for the biological supply of nitrogen to plants, reducing costs to approximately R$ 8 per hectare, compared to approximately R$ 906 per hectare for conventional nitrogen fertilization. The topic gained even more international prominence in 2025 when Embrapa researcher Mariangela Hungria received the World Food Prize, considered the "Nobel Prize of Agriculture," for her research related to biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) and the use of microorganisms as a partial alternative to fertilizers. Today, these technologies are present in about 90% of Brazilian soybean crops and generate estimated savings of between US$ 25 billion and US$ 40 billion annually for the country's farmers. In addition to Bradyrhizobium, the studies conducted by the researcher also involve Azospirillum brasilense, a bacterium associated with promoting root growth, greater water and nutrient absorption, and greater plant tolerance to climatic stresses. “International recognition reinforces that the discussion on bio-inputs is not restricted to the environmental agenda, but occupies a central position in the global scientific debate on food security, productive efficiency, and agricultural resilience. Brazil has unique strategic conditions to lead this agenda, both because of its tropical biodiversity and the research structure built in recent decades,” emphasizes Delgado. He also highlights that, with the approval of the Bio-inputs Law (Law No. 15.070/2024), currently in the process of regulation, the national industry will have a legal framework aimed at expanding innovation and competitiveness in the sector, creating a more favorable environment for the development of new biological technologies, expansion of national production, and increased use of these solutions in the field. Today, the Brazilian bio-inputs segment includes more than 200 companies registered with MPLSA (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply), with growth exceeding 50% between 2022 and 2025, in addition to more than 1,500 registered products in different categories, according to data from the entity itself. “We already have the scale, technological capacity, and production structure to respond to the expansion of this demand, consolidating bio-inputs as a strategic component of national agricultural security. It's not about replacing mineral fertilizers, but about building more efficient production systems, less vulnerable to external crises and more aligned with the economic, environmental, and productive challenges of modern agriculture,” concludes the president of ANPII Bio. 

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.