In Climate Tech, farmers around the Cantareira water system are offered payments to restore degraded land, Embrapa tests a mobile platform for participatory organic certification, researchers map Brazil’s agricultural water-pollution hotspots, and the country falls behind its target for converting degraded pasture.

In Funding & M&A, The Yield Lab Latam launches a Brazil-focused AI-first AgTech fund, Yara invests in real-time soil-testing startup Stenon, Brazil’s oldest agricultural cooperative considers liquidation, Mantiqueira prepares a US$100 million CPR-F issue, and Riza sells a Mato Grosso farm for US$40 million.

And in Macro & Markets, Brazil’s Supreme Court reverses course on pre-2018 Funrural charges, new research finds that only 15.4% of family farms access rural credit, and organized crime creates growing risks for the country’s agricultural trade.

AgTech

• iBoi Targets One Million Connected Cattle

• Brazil’s Gene-Editing Pipeline Reaches 109 Agricultural Products

• Barchart Adapts Commodity AI Assistant for WhatsApp

• PUCPR Builds Living Laboratory for AgTech Testing

Climate Tech

• Cantareira Farmers Offered Up to US$2,600 per Restored Hectare

• Embrapa Tests Mobile Organic-Certification Platform

• Embrapa Maps Agricultural Water-Pollution Hotspots

• Brazil Falls Behind Its Degraded-Pasture Conversion Target

Funding & M&A

• The Yield Lab Latam Launches Brazil-Focused AI-First AgTech Fund

• Yara Invests in Real-Time Soil-Testing AgTech Stenon

• Brazil’s Oldest Agricultural Cooperative Considers Liquidation

• Mantiqueira Plans US$100 Million Direct CPR-F Issue

• Riza Sells Mato Grosso Farm for US$40 Million

Macro & Markets

• Supreme Court Reverses Course on Pre-2018 Funrural Charges

• Only 15.4% of Brazil’s Family Farms Access Rural Credit

• Organized Crime Creates New Risks for Brazil’s Agricultural Trade

AgTech

iBoi Targets One Million Connected Cattle — Brazilian startup iBoi is scaling electronic identification designed to turn individual animals into traceable, financeable assets. It has ordered 60,000 fifth-generation tags and aims to reach 300,000 cattle in 2027 and one million within three years. Private farm networks supplied by IoTera connect the tags, while the resulting data could help producers demonstrate herd ownership and support cattle-backed rural credit. Source: AgFeed

Brazil’s Gene-Editing Pipeline Reaches 109 Agricultural Products — Brazil’s biosafety regulator, CTNBio, has classified 109 gene-edited agricultural products as non-GMOs since creating a dedicated pathway in 2018. The pipeline includes crops, microorganisms and animal applications developed using techniques such as CRISPR. The regulatory distinction can substantially reduce development time and costs compared with conventional GMO approval, opening gene editing to more Brazilian research institutions and smaller companies. Source: AgFeed

Barchart Adapts Commodity AI Assistant for WhatsApp — Agricultural market-data company Barchart is preparing a WhatsApp version of Carl, its conversational AI assistant, for Brazilian farmers and agribusinesses. Users will be able to request commodity prices, market intelligence and other information through the platform already central to rural communication. Barchart’s Brazilian revenue has increased from approximately US$800,000 to US$2 million over two years as the company localizes its products and datasets. Source: AgFeed

PUCPR Builds Living Laboratory for AgTech Testing — Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná is investing approximately US$800,000 in an innovation hub located on a 200-hectare working farm. Scheduled to open in March 2027, the facility will allow startups to test technologies under commercial farming conditions while connecting them with researchers, students and agricultural companies. The university has signed nine letters of intent and is negotiating with another 13 prospective participants. Source: Startupi

Climate Tech

Cantareira Farmers Offered Up to US$2,600 per Restored Hectare — Farmers in eight São Paulo municipalities around the Cantareira water system can receive up to US$1,800 per hectare over three years for restoring degraded land, plus a performance bonus of approximately US$800. The first call aims to restore 36 hectares and conserve another 108, using payments for environmental services to improve water security and encourage landowners to protect strategically important areas. Source: CNN Brasil

Embrapa Tests Mobile Organic-Certification Platform — Embrapa is testing a mobile platform designed to replace paper records in Brazil’s participatory organic-certification system. Developed with small farmers and certification organizations, it will support farm visits, compliance records and document sharing from the field. Participatory schemes account for approximately 65% of Brazil’s registered organic producers, giving the platform the potential to reduce administrative work and make certification more accessible. Source: Food Forum

Embrapa Maps Agricultural Water-Pollution Hotspots — Embrapa has mapped the Brazilian regions most vulnerable to diffuse water pollution from agriculture, identifying broad areas across Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás and Matopiba, together with localized hotspots in Paraná and São Paulo. The assessment combines fertilizer deliveries, livestock concentration, sugarcane fertigation, rainfall, water balance and soil erodibility, helping policymakers target monitoring and mitigation where runoff risks are highest. Source: Embrapa

Brazil Falls Behind Its Degraded-Pasture Conversion Target — Brazil would need to recover or convert around four million hectares of degraded pasture annually to meet its 40-million-hectare target by 2033, compared with a historical pace of approximately 1.3 million hectares. The central constraints are not land availability or investor interest, but the shortage of investment-ready projects, technical support and financing structures accessible to smaller producers. Source: The AgriBiz

Funding & M&A

The Yield Lab Latam Launches Brazil-Focused AI-First AgTech Fund — The Yield Lab Latam is raising a US$40 million fund dedicated to AI-first AgTech companies in Brazil, with an initial US$10 million closing targeted for March 2027. The fund expects to invest between US$200,000 and US$1 million in approximately 25 startups across conversational AI, agricultural fintech, trading, logistics and biological inputs. It will also support selected international companies entering the Brazilian market. Source: Valor

Yara Invests in Real-Time Soil-Testing AgTech Stenon — Yara Growth Ventures has taken an undisclosed minority stake in German AgTech Stenon through a second closing of its Series B round. Stenon’s portable technology analyzes soil nutrients in real time without sending samples to a laboratory and is already operating in Brazil. The investment gives Yara exposure to technology that could improve fertilizer recommendations and nitrogen-use efficiency while strengthening its digital services for farmers. Source: AgFeed

Brazil’s Oldest Agricultural Cooperative Considers Liquidation — Cotribá has called members to vote on dissolution and extrajudicial liquidation while continuing selected operations. The Rio Grande do Sul cooperative reportedly owes approximately US$280 million, with exposure extending across farmers, more than 30 financial institutions, agribusiness receivables certificates and a Fiagro investment fund. Its difficulties highlight how agricultural credit stress can spread from producers into cooperatives and capital-market structures. Source: AgFeed

Mantiqueira Plans US$100 Million Direct CPR-F Issue — Egg producer Mantiqueira is preparing a seven-year public issue of Financial Rural Product Notes, or CPR-Fs, debt instruments linked to agricultural production. The transaction will be indexed at 94% of Brazil’s DI interbank rate and backed by approximately 2.65 million boxes of eggs. By issuing the securities directly, Mantiqueira is testing a new route for large agricultural companies to raise long-term capital without using a conventional CRA structure. Source: AgFeed

Riza Sells Mato Grosso Farm for US$40 Million — Riza Asset’s Terrax fund has agreed to sell a 5,300-hectare farm in Mato Grosso for approximately US$40 million, potentially rising to US$46 million. The structure combines cash, a property exchange and instalments, giving the fund liquidity to pursue investments offering better expected returns. The transaction provides a useful reference point for farmland valuations and shows how specialist agricultural funds are actively recycling capital between rural assets. Source: AgFeed

Macro & Markets

Supreme Court Reverses Course on Pre-2018 Funrural Charges — Brazil’s Supreme Court has ruled that Funrural contributions charged to individual producers before 2018 were unconstitutional, reversing its earlier position. Funrural is a payroll-style social-security levy applied to gross rural sales. The decision creates estimated fiscal exposure of US$3.4 billion, although prescription periods and possible limits on the ruling’s retroactive effect mean the eventual benefit for producers and meatpackers remains uncertain. Source: AgFeed

Only 15.4% of Brazil’s Family Farms Access Rural Credit — Research from the World Resources Institute found that only 15.4% of Brazilian family farms access rural credit and 18.2% receive technical assistance. Family farmers represent 77% of agricultural establishments but occupy only 23% of agricultural land. The figures underline how limited access to finance and advice can slow productivity gains, technology adoption and climate adaptation among smaller producers. Source: AgFeed

Organized Crime Creates New Risks for Brazil’s Agricultural Trade — An Insper study warns that organized crime is becoming more deeply embedded in Brazilian agricultural supply chains through counterfeit inputs, cargo theft, illegal mining, money laundering and logistics networks. Illicit pesticides are estimated to generate US$4 billion annually, while seed piracy costs the sector approximately US$2 billion. Beyond direct losses, criminal involvement could expose exporters and financial institutions to sanctions, traceability failures and reputational risks. Source: AgFeed

Thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

In Climate Tech, IKEA backs regenerative coffee research in the Cerrado Mineiro, a Mato Grosso carrier invests US$100 million in electric grain trucks, improved pollination could add US$840 million annually to São Paulo agriculture, Brazil designs a tradable SAF certificate, and regenerative sugarcane delivers promising early results.

In Funding & M&A, BioFirst takes full control of Biotrop, the latest Eco Invest auction could direct US$10 billion into green industry, and Möbius uses an unusual farm buyback structure to restructure distressed agricultural credit.

And in Macro & Markets, BHP targets Brazil with output from its US$15.3 billion Canadian potash project, rural judicial recoveries rise 66%, and Fiagro issuance accelerates as Brazil’s CRA market contracts.

AgTech

• BioinFood Secures US$1.6m to Develop AI-Assisted Yeast Biologicals

• Ibama Promises Faster Bioinput Reviews Once New Law Is Regulated

• Corteva Positions Brazil as a Global Biologicals Hub

• Agricultural Drone Growth Runs into Operator Shortage

Climate Tech

• IKEA Backs Regenerative Coffee Research in the Cerrado Mineiro

• Mato Grosso Carrier Invests US$100m in Electric Grain Trucks

• Closing São Paulo’s Pollination Gap Could Add US$840m Annually

• Brazil Designs Tradable Certificate for Sustainable Aviation Fuel

• Regenerative Sugarcane Trial Links Higher Costs to Higher Yields

Funding & M&A

• BioFirst Takes Full Control of Brazilian Biologicals Company Biotrop

• Eco Invest Auction Channels Up to US$10bn into Green Industry

• Möbius Uses US$28m Farm Buyback Structure for Distressed Credit

Macro & Markets

• BHP Positions US$15.3bn Potash Mine for Brazil’s Market

• Rural Judicial Recoveries Rise 66% as Credit Stress Deepens

• Fiagro Issuance Surges as Brazil’s CRA Market Contracts

AgTech

BioinFood Secures US$1.6 Million to Develop AI-Assisted Yeast Biologicals — BioinFood has secured US$1.6 million in Finep financing for a three-year program using metabolic engineering and AI to develop yeast-derived molecules for agricultural biologicals. The company wants to use yeast as a production platform for biofertilizers, biostimulants and biocontrol products, moving from laboratory proof of concept into greenhouse and field trials. It also plans to offer its platform as an R&D service to agricultural-input manufacturers. Source: AgFeed

Ibama Promises Faster Bioinput Reviews Once New Law Is Regulated — Ibama says environmental reviews for bioinputs currently take around six months, half the statutory limit, and could become faster once Brazil completes the regulation of its Bioinputs Law. The agency’s workload has increased by more than 70% in four years as biological products gain market share. Clearer responsibilities and procedures could shorten development timelines, although the implementing decree was still awaiting publication. Source: AgFeed

Corteva Positions Brazil as a Global Biologicals Hub — Corteva plans to use Brazil as a development and export platform for biological products as it integrates Stoller and Symborg into its global crop-protection business. The company has 12 new technologies in its Brazilian pipeline, including five biological products, and expects biologicals to account for one-third of the global crop-protection market within a decade. Brazil’s scale, year-round cropping and high adoption make it an important testing and commercialization base. Source: AgFeed

Agricultural Drone Growth Runs into Operator Shortage — Brazil has around 13,000 officially registered agricultural drones, although industry estimates suggest the operating fleet may already exceed 60,000. Adoption is accelerating as larger models carry up to 300 litres, but a survey of 40 companies found that 85% struggle to recruit qualified operators. Training and regulation could therefore become bigger constraints than hardware as drones take on more spraying and field-management tasks. Source: InfoMoney

Climate Tech

IKEA Backs Regenerative Coffee Research in the Cerrado Mineiro — IKEA has invested approximately US$580,000 in a project studying the environmental and productive benefits of regenerative coffee farming. Managed by Rainforest Alliance with the monteCCer cooperative, the initiative covers 11 producers and 1,100 hectares, using soil biology, carbon cycling and pest monitoring to evaluate different practices. The project, which began in late 2024, has been extended for another year, while IKEA considers purchasing coffee from participating farms. Source: The AgriBiz

Mato Grosso Carrier Invests US$100 Million in Electric Grain Trucks — Grupo Navarini plans to deploy 251 electric heavy trucks from 2027 on grain routes connecting Mato Grosso with northern export terminals. The vehicles will travel distances of up to 1,400 kilometres, supported by dedicated charging infrastructure. The investment will create Latin America’s largest heavy electric-truck fleet and test whether electrification can work on the long, remote routes that underpin Brazil’s grain exports. Source: AgFeed

Closing São Paulo’s Pollination Gap Could Add US$840 Million Annually — Improving crop pollination could add approximately US$840 million a year to São Paulo’s agricultural production, according to research involving BIOTA Síntese, USP and state environmental authorities. The study highlights the economic value of maintaining native vegetation and pollinator habitats close to farms. São Paulo is also expanding stingless-bee colonies in protected areas and supporting beekeeping through environmental-payment programs. Source: Fundação Florestal

Brazil Designs Tradable Certificate for Sustainable Aviation Fuel — Brazilian regulators are developing the CS-SAF certificate to record the volume, feedstock, production process and carbon intensity of sustainable aviation fuel. Its book-and-claim structure would allow airlines and companies to buy the environmental benefits separately from the physical fuel, potentially expanding demand for ethanol, vegetable oils and agricultural residues. Final rules must still address exports, corporate buyers and the risk of counting the same emissions reduction twice. Source: Capital Reset

Regenerative Sugarcane Trial Links Higher Costs to Higher Yields — Beggio Lorenzo reported sugarcane productivity of 129 tonnes per hectare after introducing biological inputs, crop rotation, soil restoration and agroforestry elements across a 300-hectare operation. The company spends more on regenerative management but says improved yields generated a 35% return on the additional investment. The results offer a useful commercial case study, although they are self-reported by a single farming business without an independent comparison group. Source: AgFeed

Funding & M&A

BioFirst Takes Full Control of Brazilian Biologicals Company Biotrop — Belgium’s BioFirst Group has acquired the remaining 14.71% of Biotrop, completing the takeover that began with its US$560 million purchase of approximately 85% in 2023. Full ownership gives BioFirst control of one of Brazil’s largest biological-input platforms, with capacity to produce 23 million litres of bacteria-based products and 600 tonnes of fungi annually. The value of the latest transaction was not disclosed. Source: AgFeed

Eco Invest Auction Channels Up to US$10 Billion into Green Industry — Brazil’s latest Eco Invest auction combined US$2.6 billion in public catalytic capital with proposed private commitments of US$7.3 billion. Winning banks plan to finance green fertilizers, bioinputs, alternative proteins, sustainable aviation fuel, biomaterials and industrial decarbonization. At least 10% must support technology development, university partnerships or international technology acquisition. The US$10 billion represents potential mobilization rather than money already deployed. Source: Capital Reset

Möbius Uses US$28 Million Farm Buyback Structure for Distressed Credit — Möbius Capital has acquired a 4,000-hectare farm in Sinop through a Fiagro, an investment fund focused on agriculture, while giving its financially distressed former owner four years to repurchase the property. The producer entered judicial recovery with approximately US$27 million in debt, and the farm is now leased to third parties. The structure combines land ownership, leasing and a potential business recovery in a single transaction. Source: AgFeed

Macro & Markets

BHP Positions US$15.3 Billion Potash Mine for Brazil’s Market — BHP sees Brazil as a priority market for output from its Jansen potash project in Canada, which is expected to reach annual capacity of 8.5 million tonnes after both stages are fully operational. Brazil consumes approximately 13.5 million tonnes of potash annually and imports 96%, leaving farmers exposed to exchange rates, logistics and geopolitical disruptions. BHP has not yet disclosed firm supply contracts or the volume destined for Brazil. Source: AgFeed

Rural Judicial Recoveries Rise 66% as Credit Stress Deepens — Some 1,263 Brazilian farmers entered judicial recovery—a court-supervised debt restructuring process—during the first half of 2026, an increase of 66% from the previous year. Opea expects cases to peak between late 2026 and early 2027 as high interest rates, tighter credit and weak commodity margins affect farm cash flow. Rising defaults could constrain new lending and increase consolidation among producers and agricultural suppliers. Source: AgFeed

Fiagro Issuance Surges as Brazil’s CRA Market Contracts — XP expects issuance of CRAs—securities backed by agricultural receivables—to fall to roughly one-third of its 2025 level, while Fiagro agricultural-fund issuance increased 128% to US$792 million in the first four months of 2026. Investors are moving towards managed funds that offer diversified portfolios and stronger oversight as concerns about defaults grow. The change could reshape how private capital reaches agricultural businesses. Source: AgFeed

More than 3,500 investors, founders and agriculture executives follow the future of Brazilian agriculture with BAR Brief.

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

In Climate Tech, Courageous Land begins deploying BNDES financing for a US$68 million agroforestry project in Roraima, better soil management raises soybean productivity by 11.1% per level, a new model sharply increases the estimated water footprint of sugarcane herbicides, and biomass supply emerges as a bottleneck for corn-ethanol expansion.

In Funding & M&A, Céleres incorporates AI company Arkéra, Caramuru secures US$20 million for biodiesel investments, Zen-Noh completes its acquisition of 30% of Grupo Cereal, and BrasilAgro resumes domestic land sales with a US$19 million deal in Bahia.

And in Macro & Markets, China imposes an additional 55% tariff on Brazilian beef above its annual quota, extreme drought spreads ahead of a potentially very strong El Niño, expensive credit pushes larger farms towards structured CPR financing, and agricultural-input retailers rethink their business models.

AgTech

• Grão Direto Attracts Marubeni to Its Brazilian Grain Platform

• Vylor Launches with a “CRISPR First” Strategy for Brazil

• Embrapa Builds Brazil’s First Integrated Multiomics Platform

Climate Tech

• Courageous Land Secures BNDES Funding for Agroforestry Project

• Better Soil Management Raises Soybean Productivity by 11.1%

• New Model Raises Sugarcane Herbicides’ Water Footprint 116-Fold

• Biomass Supply Becomes a Bottleneck for Corn-Ethanol Expansion

Funding & M&A

• Céleres Incorporates AI Company Arkéra

• Caramuru Secures US$20 Million for Biodiesel Investments

• Zen-Noh Completes Acquisition of 30% of Grupo Cereal

• BrasilAgro Resumes Land Sales with US$19 Million Bahia Deal

Macro & Markets

• China’s 55% Additional Tariff Takes Effect on Brazilian Beef

• Extreme Drought Spreads across Brazil Ahead of El Niño

• Expensive Credit Pushes Farms towards Structured CPR Financing

• Brazil’s Ag-Input Retail Model Enters a New Consolidation Phase

AgTech

Grão Direto Attracts Marubeni to Its Brazilian Grain Platform — Marubeni Brasil has joined Grão Direto’s platform to digitalize its origination of soybeans and corn. The Japanese trading group’s Brazilian operation handles between three million and four million tons of grain annually, while volumes traded through Grão Direto have grown twelvefold since 2021, reaching 12 million tonnes last year. The agreement brings another major global trader into Brazil’s expanding digital grain ecosystem. Source: AgFeed

Vylor Launches with a “CRISPR First” Strategy for Brazil — Corteva’s newly independent seeds and genetics business has launched with Brazil expected to become its largest global market. Vylor plans to almost double its share of soybean-technology licensing to 30% by 2030 while expanding its leadership in corn. Its strategy combines a century of genetic material with gene editing, data and AI, potentially reducing the development of new crop traits from around ten years to as little as two. Source: AgFeed

Embrapa Builds Brazil’s First Integrated Multiomics Platform for Bioproducts — Embrapa has combined metabolomics, proteomics and fluxomics to map and optimize how yeasts convert sugars into high-value chemical compounds. Developed with Germany’s Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, the platform could support more efficient production of renewable chemicals, biological ingredients and microbial inputs. The research strengthens Brazil’s biological-engineering capabilities, although it remains an enabling platform rather than a commercial product. Source: Embrapa

Climate Tech

BNDES Backs Courageous Land’s US$68 Million Agroforestry Project — BNDES has released the first tranche from a US$23 million Fundo Clima (Climate Fund) loan supporting Courageous Land’s project in Roraima. The company plans to convert 2,000 hectares of degraded pasture into agroforestry systems combining coffee, cocoa, açaí, banana, black pepper and native timber species. The US$68 million project will include nurseries and processing infrastructure, plant around 9.7 million seedlings, create more than 600 jobs and remove an estimated 33,900 tonnes of carbon annually. Source: CNN Brasil

Better Soil Management Raises Soybean Productivity by 11.1% — An Embrapa study covering 28 harvests and more than 4,300 georeferenced observations found that soybean productivity increased by an average of 11.1% with each improvement in soil-management level. The classification considers factors including soil cover, crop diversity, acidity and the time since mechanical disturbance. The results support incorporating soil-management quality into Zarc climate-risk assessments, agricultural insurance and credit decisions. Source: Embrapa

New Model Raises Sugarcane Herbicides’ Estimated Water Footprint 116-Fold — An Embrapa model that considers the combined effects and mechanisms of action of 17 sugarcane herbicides produced a grey-water-footprint estimate around 116 times higher than the conventional product-by-product method. The result could improve environmental risk assessments and help growers select combinations with lower potential impact. It represents the estimated dilution required under the model—not evidence that measured ecological damage is 116 times greater. Source: Embrapa

Biomass Supply Becomes a Bottleneck for Corn-Ethanol Expansion — Brazil’s corn-ethanol capacity is expanding faster than the planted forests needed to power its biorefineries. A new plant can be built in 12 to 24 months, while eucalyptus requires six to seven years before harvesting, forcing companies to secure biomass well before construction. The mismatch could increase costs, delay projects and weaken the sector’s lower-carbon credentials if mills turn to less sustainable sources of boiler fuel. Source: AgFeed

Funding & M&A

Céleres Incorporates AI Company Arkéra — Brazilian agribusiness consultancy Céleres has incorporated Arkéra Intelligence through a share-swap transaction. The combination will connect Céleres’ 24 years of agricultural data and market knowledge with Arkéra’s AI models, reducing the time required for some long-term analyses from four months to around ten days. The companies also plan to offer subscription-based intelligence products under a “knowledge as a service” model. Financial terms were not disclosed. Source: AgFeed

Caramuru Secures US$20 Million for Biodiesel Investments — Caramuru Alimentos has approved a US$20 million financing agreement with Rabobank for investments in its three biodiesel plants in Goiás and Mato Grosso. Brazil’s fifth-largest biodiesel producer currently has annual production of around 550 million litres. The financing reinforces biofuels as the company’s main growth platform, although the loan’s maturity, cost and guarantees—and the precise investments planned for each plant—were not disclosed. Source: AgFeed

Zen-Noh Completes Acquisition of 30% of Grupo Cereal — Japan’s Zen-Noh has completed its acquisition of 30% of Grupo Cereal following approval from Cade. The Goiás-based company receives around two million tonnes of soybeans and corn annually and operates in grain origination, agricultural inputs, soybean processing and biodiesel. The new shareholder is expected to support Grupo Cereal’s US$160 million expansion programme and strengthen its access to Asian markets. The transaction value was not disclosed. Source: AgFeed

BrasilAgro Resumes Land Sales with US$19 Million Bahia Deal — BrasilAgro has sold 1,753 productive hectares of Fazenda Rio do Meio in western Bahia for US$19 million, equivalent to 425 sacks of soybeans per productive hectare. The sale ends a year-long pause in the company’s domestic land transactions and is expected to generate a pre-tax gain of approximately US$10 million. Most of the purchase price will be paid through annual soybean-linked instalments. Source: AgFeed

Macro & Markets

China’s 55% Additional Tariff Takes Effect on Brazilian Beef — Brazil reached China’s annual duty-protected quota of 1.1 million tonnes on September 29, triggering an additional 55% tariff on subsequent shipments from October 1. China bought 48% of Brazil’s beef exports last year, worth US$8.9 billion, making the measure a significant threat to trade flows and processor margins. The additional tariff applies only to volumes above the quota and comes on top of the regular 12% import duty. Source: Exame Agro

Extreme Drought Spreads across Brazil Ahead of El Niño — The number of Brazilian municipalities experiencing extreme drought rose from four to 24 in one month, while those under severe drought increased from 153 to 197. The deterioration comes as Inmet estimates a 95% probability that El Niño will reach very strong intensity between October and December. The combination raises planting, water and fire risks during the opening months of the 2026/27 grain season. Source: Exame Agro

Costly Credit Pushes Farms Toward Structured CPRs — High interest rates and more selective banks are pushing larger agricultural businesses toward customized financing through Cédulas de Produto Rural (CPRs), instruments backed by agricultural production. Transactions can exceed US$4 million and run for five years, with terms based on collateral, repayment schedules and project cash flow. The trend broadens options for established producers but could widen the financing gap for smaller farms lacking assets or specialist advice. Source: CNN Brasil

Brazil’s Agricultural-Input Retail Model Enters a New Consolidation Phase — Nutrien’s withdrawal from retail in São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul, alongside financial distress at AgroGalaxy and Lavoro, is exposing the weaknesses of distributors that combined rapid expansion with generous farmer credit. Industry executives expect the next consolidation cycle to favour integrated service hubs offering inputs, finance, grain origination and agronomic support rather than traditional counter sales. Scale alone is giving way to tighter credit control, systems integration and operational efficiency. Source: Exame Agro

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Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

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In Brazil AgTech news this week, Embrapa launches two disease-resistant cotton varieties, Tarken introduces a conversational AI assistant for agricultural credit, biological inputs reach 46.2 million treated hectares, JBS opens its protein-development platform to other food companies, and Mignow takes its agricultural enterprise automation technology to the US.

In Climate Tech, wind power supplies almost all the electricity used by seven ADM soybean-crushing operations, Amanco signs its largest Brazilian irrigation contract, and the government proposes a record US$10.9 billion budget for its Climate Fund in 2027.

In Funding & M&A, Mombak launches an Amazon reforestation fund that could mobilize US$200 million, Minerva Foods acquires a stake in grain marketplace Grão Direto, and Coasul moves to incorporate Codepa in a major Paraná cooperative consolidation.

And in Macro & Markets, Nutrien exits agricultural retail in São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul, a temporary US beef quota creates a new export opening for Brazil, and Uruguay offers Brazil access to its unused Chinese beef quota.

AgTech

• Embrapa Launches Disease-Resistant Cotton Varieties

• Tarken Brings Conversational AI to Agricultural Credit

• Biological Inputs Reach 46.2 Million Treated Hectares

• JBS Opens Protein-Development Platform to Food Companies

• Mignow Takes Agricultural Enterprise Automation to the US

Climate Tech

• Wind Power Cuts ADM’s Soy-Crushing Emissions

• Amanco Signs Its Largest Brazilian Irrigation Contract

• Brazil Proposes US$10.9 Billion for its Climate Fund

Funding & M&A

• Mombak Launches US$200 Million Amazon Reforestation Fund

• Minerva Foods Acquires Stake in Grão Direto

• Coasul and Codepa Plan Paraná Cooperative Consolidation

Macro & Markets

• Nutrien Exits Agricultural Retail in Two Brazilian States

• US Beef Quota Creates Export Opening for Brazil

• Uruguay Offers Brazil Its Unused Chinese Beef Quota

AgTech

Embrapa Launches Disease-Resistant Cotton Varieties — Embrapa and Lyntera have launched two transgenic cotton varieties combining high yields with resistance to nematodes, ramularia and other major diseases. BRS 510 B2RF and BRS 810 B3RF can produce approximately 7.3–7.6 tonnes per hectare in first-season planting and could reduce crop losses and fungicide use in Brazil’s main cotton regions. Source: Embrapa

Tarken Brings Conversational AI to Agricultural Credit — Tarken has launched Estrategista, an AI assistant that lets agribusinesses query internal credit and commercial data using natural language. The company says its platform supports US$2–4 billion in monthly credit approvals across more than 1,000 businesses, giving the new tool a potentially large role in agricultural lending decisions. Source: AgFeed

Biological Inputs Reach 46.2 Million Treated Hectares — Brazilian farmland treated with biological products increased 18.3% to 46.2 million hectares during the first half of 2026, according to CropLife Brasil. Sales rose 9.6% to US$364 million, with particularly strong growth in bionematicides and inoculants. The figures suggest that biologicals are moving beyond product development towards broad commercial adoption. Source: AgFeed

JBS Opens Protein-Development Platform to Food Companies — JBS has created Genu-in Solutions, a white-label platform offering product formulation, testing, regulatory support and manufacturing to companies developing high-protein foods. The business will use collagen, gelatin and other animal-derived ingredients to help outside brands create higher-value products, starting with a snack containing 44% protein. Source: The AgriBiz

Mignow Takes Agricultural Enterprise Automation to the US — Brazilian technology company Mignow is targeting the US agricultural market after using AI to automate SAP modernization for companies including Amaggi, SLC, Coopercitrus and Citrosuco. In one Brazilian cooperative deployment, the company says it cut invoice-processing time from more than five minutes to approximately 20 seconds. Source: AgFeed

Climate Tech

Wind Power Cuts ADM’s Soy-Crushing Emissions — ADM’s share of the Babilônia Sul wind complex now supplies almost all the electricity used by seven soybean-crushing operations across Brazil. The company estimates that the arrangement avoids 19,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually and reduces processing costs by approximately US$1.20 per tonne, connecting lower emissions with stronger crushing margins. Source: AgFeed

Amanco Signs Its Largest Brazilian Irrigation Contract — Amanco Wavin will provide 57 kilometres of piping for 28 center-pivot irrigation systems at Fazenda Tronco in Minas Gerais under a contract worth more than US$2 million. The farm expects irrigation to increase soybean yields by approximately 20%, although 19 of the planned pivots still require environmental approval. Source: AgFeed

Brazil Proposes US$10.9 Billion for Fundo Clima — Brazil’s proposed 2027 budget would allocate a record US$10.9 billion to the country's Climate Fund, 28% more than this year. The fund is becoming an important source of concessional capital for reforestation, corn ethanol, biomethane and other low-carbon projects, although actual lending has consistently fallen short of the amounts authorized. Source: Capital Reset

Funding & M&A

Mombak Launches US$200 Million Amazon Reforestation Fund — Mombak has completed the first close of Amazon Reforestation Fund II, which aims to raise US$160 million in equity and has secured approval for a US$40 million credit line from the country's Climate Fund. The reforestation fund will restore degraded pasture with native Amazon forest and generate carbon-removal credits, although the amount raised at first close was not disclosed. Source: Capital Reset

Minerva Foods Acquires Stake in Grão Direto — Minerva Foods has acquired an existing investor’s stake in digital grain marketplace Grão Direto, becoming the first livestock company in its shareholder group. The investment could connect digital grain trading with feed procurement, livestock production and commodity intelligence. It was a secondary transaction, meaning Grão Direto received no new capital, and the value was not disclosed. Source: AgFeed

Coasul and Codepa Plan Paraná Cooperative Consolidation — Coasul plans to incorporate Codepa, creating a cooperative group with combined annual revenue of approximately US$1.3 billion and 19,000 members. The transaction would bring together grain storage, agricultural inputs, credit, poultry processing and technical services, but still requires approval from members and Brazil’s competition authority. Source: AgFeed

Macro & Markets

Nutrien Exits Agricultural Retail in Two Brazilian States — Nutrien will end direct agricultural-input retail and distribution in São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul while retaining operations in Goiás, Minas Gerais and Tocantins. The withdrawal reflects continuing pressure on margins and credit across Brazil’s input-distribution sector and could create opportunities for regional dealers and cooperatives. Source: The AgriBiz

US Beef Quota Creates Export Opening for Brazil — A temporary 300,000-tonne expansion of the US low-tariff quota for lean beef could help Brazil more than triple shipments between September and November, according to Agrifatto. Brazil has approximately 50 approved processing plants and is well positioned to supply a market facing its smallest cattle herd in 75 years. Source: The AgriBiz

Uruguay Offers Brazil Its Unused Chinese Beef Quota — Uruguay has offered Brazil access to the unused portion of its Chinese beef-import quota after Brazilian exporters exhausted their own 2026 allocation. The arrangement could reopen space in Brazil’s largest beef market, where above-quota shipments face tariffs totalling 67%, but it still requires approval and implementation by China. Source: CNN Brasil

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

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In Brazil AgTech news this week, Valeouro and Symbiomics join forces to develop gene-edited bioinputs, John Deere prepares to launch a natural-language AI agent for its connected machinery, Solinftec reshapes its leadership around an AI-first strategy, and Ecorobotix introduces plant-by-plant precision spraying in Brazil.

In Climate Tech, Google backs methane reduction and carbon removal across 200,000 hectares of Brazilian rice, corn-ethanol growth could require US$2.9 billion in new eucalyptus plantations, and proposed carbon-registry rules could restrict Brazilian credits’ access to international markets.

In Funding & M&A, Doroth raises US$4.6 million to scale molecular diagnostics, iRancho opens a US$2 million round as it moves toward rural finance, xFarm acquires Sibium to enter Brazil’s sugarcane sector, and NotCo sells its Brazilian operation while pivoting toward AI licensing.

And in Macro & Markets, Brazil prepares new regulations for bioinputs and on-farm production, a sulfur shortage forces domestic phosphate plants to cut production, and staff shortages halt ten IAC crop-breeding programs.

AgTech

• Valeouro and Symbiomics Partner to Develop Gene-Edited Bioinputs

• John Deere Prepares Agricultural AI Launch for Brazil

• Solinftec Reshapes Leadership Around AI-First Strategy

• Ecorobotix Brings Plant-by-Plant Precision Spraying to Brazil

Climate Tech

• Google Backs Methane Reduction Across 200,000 Hectares of Brazilian Rice

• Corn-Ethanol Expansion Could Require US$2.9 Billion in New Eucalyptus

• Carbon Registry Rules Could Block Brazilian Credit Exports

Funding & M&A

• Doroth Raises US$4.6 Million to Take Molecular Diagnostics into the Field

• iRancho Opens US$2 Million Round to Expand into Rural Finance

• xFarm Acquires Sibium and Enters Brazil’s Sugarcane Sector

• NotCo Sells Brazilian Operation and Pivots Toward AI Licensing

Macro & Markets

• Brazil Prepares New Rules for Bioinputs and On-Farm Production

• Sulfur Shortage Forces Brazilian Phosphate Plants to Cut Production

• Staff Shortages Halt Ten IAC Crop-Breeding Programs

AgTech

Valeouro and Symbiomics Partner to Develop Gene-Edited Bioinputs — Valeouro Biotec has partnered with Symbiomics, to develop biological inputs using microorganism discovery, machine learning and genomic editing. Symbiomics will lead the initial research, while Valeouro provides production and commercialization capacity through a new biofactory in Cravinhos, São Paulo, receiving more than US$20 million in investment. The first joint product is expected to be a biofungicide for soy, corn, cotton and sugarcane. Symbiomics is a Yield Lab Latam portfolio company. Source: AgFeed

John Deere Prepares Agricultural AI Launch for Brazil — John Deere is testing an AI agent that will allow farmers to question their operational data using natural language. Integrated with the Operations Center, “JD” can compare fuel consumption, planting quality, spraying capacity and harvest conditions using each farm’s machinery and agronomic history. The company plans to launch the tool in Latin America by the end of 2026 and is approaching 100,000 connected machines in Brazil. Source: Revista Cultivar

Solinftec Reshapes Leadership Around AI-First Strategy — Solinftec is reorganizing its senior leadership as its founders become more directly involved in accelerating an AI-first strategy. The changes reportedly include the departures of global vice-president Denis Arroyo Alves and CTO Henrique Nomura. The company wants to integrate its Alice multi-agent platform more closely with Solix autonomous robots and connected agricultural machinery, an approach it describes as “physical AI.” Solinftec did not comment on the reported personnel changes. Source: AgFeed

Ecorobotix Brings Plant-by-Plant Precision Spraying to Brazil — Swiss AgTech Ecorobotix has appointed Horttak as its first official Brazilian distributor, initially targeting vegetable farms in Minas Gerais and Goiás. Its ARA sprayer combines 3D and RGB cameras with AI to identify individual plants and apply inputs within six-by-six-centimetre zones. Ecorobotix claims the system can reduce crop-protection volumes by as much as 95%. The first Brazilian field demonstrations are planned for the final quarter of 2026. Source: Revista Cultivar

Climate Tech

Google Backs Methane Reduction Across 200,000 Hectares of Brazilian Rice — Google has signed its largest carbon-removal agreement to date with Terradot, covering rice farms in Rio Grande do Sul. Farmers will periodically drain flooded paddies to reduce methane emissions, while crushed volcanic rock will be applied to remove atmospheric carbon permanently. Google will purchase one million tonnes of methane impact by 2030 and another million tonnes of permanent carbon removal by 2040. The model could eventually expand across Brazil’s 1.5 million hectares of rice. Source: CNN Brasil

Corn-Ethanol Expansion Could Require US$2.9 Billion in New Eucalyptus — Brazil’s corn-ethanol capacity is projected to grow from 10.9 billion litres in 2025 to 25.3 billion by 2030, creating a major demand for renewable biomass. In Mato Grosso alone, Itaú BBA estimates that another 218,000 hectares of eucalyptus could be needed. Establishing those forests would require approximately US$1.5 billion under its base assumptions and as much as US$2.9 billion if industrial and forestry efficiency is lower. Source: AgroTimes

Carbon Registry Rules Could Block Brazilian Credit Exports — Brazil’s Finance Ministry is trying to prevent credits registered for international transfer from losing recognition among foreign buyers. Current legislation requires export-bound credits to enter the national emissions-trading registry as CRVEs, potentially breaking their chain of custody with international standards such as Verra, Gold Standard and ART Trees. The government is discussing solutions with certification bodies and the international aviation regulator ICAO as it prepares the implementing rules. Source: Capital Reset

Funding & M&A

Doroth Raises US$4.6 Million to Take Molecular Diagnostics into the Field — Brazilian deeptech Doroth has secured US$4.6 million in a financing package led by biotechnology company Loccus and supported by Finep and Fapesp resources. Doroth’s portable system uses microfluidic chips to identify agricultural pathogens and resistance genes without sending samples to a laboratory. The capital will help build an automated Brazilian factory capable of producing four million chips annually, increasing production from 30 chips per day to approximately ten per minute. Source: AgFeed

iRancho Opens US$2 Million Round to Expand into Rural Finance — Cattle-management AgTech iRancho is seeking US$2 million after returning to breakeven, with the round expected to close in early 2027. The company will use the capital to expand its technology team and develop AI-enabled products. It is also preparing to launch Lisur, a farm financial-management platform covering invoices, cash flow and accounting. Longer term, iRancho intends to use operational and financial data from its customers to assess credit risk and offer financial products. Source: AgFeed

xFarm Acquires Sibium and Enters Brazil’s Sugarcane Sector — European farm-management company xFarm Technologies has acquired Ribeirão Preto-based Sibium Analytics for an undisclosed amount. Sibium provides geospatial intelligence, traceability and ESG-compliance technology used across more than eight million hectares of sugarcane. The transaction gives xFarm an immediate presence in Brazil’s sugar-and-ethanol industry and follows its 2025 acquisition of CheckPlant. Sibium’s customers will also gain access to xFarm’s sensors, weather stations and AI-based decision-support tools. Source: AgFeed

NotCo Sells Brazilian Operation and Pivots Toward AI Licensing — Chilean foodtech NotCo has sold its Brazilian operation to investment group Ferrara for an undisclosed amount, although its brands and approximately 50 local employees will remain in the country. The transaction continues NotCo’s retreat from directly managing consumer-food operations outside Chile. The former unicorn is concentrating instead on licensing Giuseppe, its AI platform for formulating food products, to global manufacturers including Nestlé, Barry Callebaut, PepsiCo, Mars and Mondelēz. Source: AgFeed

Macro & Markets

Brazil Prepares New Rules for Bioinputs and On-Farm Production — Brazil is preparing to publish regulations governing the production, registration and use of bioinputs. The draft establishes traceability and transport requirements for on-farm production while allowing simplified registration for certain products and previously assessed microbial strains. MAPA would lead oversight, although Anvisa and Ibama would retain responsibility for health and environmental risk assessments. Some industry groups fear the rules could make registering biological crop-protection products unnecessarily complex. Source: AgFeed

Sulfur Shortage Forces Brazilian Phosphate Plants to Cut Production — Mosaic has halted or reduced production across several Brazilian operations as geopolitical disruption and shipping constraints restrict the global supply of sulfur, a key raw material for phosphate fertilizers. The measures have affected facilities in Minas Gerais, Goiás, Bahia, Tocantins and Mato Grosso, triggering layoffs and temporary contract suspensions. Prolonged disruption could further reduce domestic phosphate production and increase Brazil’s dependence on imported fertilizers. Source: CNN Brasil

Staff Shortages Halt Ten IAC Crop-Breeding Programs — The Instituto Agronômico de Campinas has discontinued ten crop-breeding programs after retiring and deceased researchers were not replaced. The affected research covers rice, soybeans, cotton, wheat, oats and other crops, while another seven programs are each maintained by only one scientist. The shortage also threatens germplasm collections containing traits that could help Brazilian agriculture respond to drought, heat, pests and diseases. Source: CNN Brasil

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

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In Brazil AgTech news this week, Síntese invests US$18 million in next-generation biological inputs, one in six farmers is already using generative AI, Sumitomo makes BioRationals central to its Brazilian growth strategy, and research identifies 22 barriers to digitalization among agricultural cooperatives.

In Climate Tech, Nestlé expands its Brazilian cocoa sourcing and regenerative-farming program, Coamo’s US$340 million corn-ethanol biorefinery nears completion, Yara opens a US$240 million low-carbon fertilizer project, and a US tax credit begins pricing farm-level carbon reductions into ethanol feedstock.

In Funding & M&A, Vale invests in Pátria’s US$400 million reforestation fund to finance agroforestry and carbon projects in the Atlantic Forest, while Fertilizantes Heringer considers restructuring its debts after fertilizer sales fell 62% and total liabilities reached US$163 million.

And in Macro & Markets, the area covered by rural credit falls 26%, Fiagros trade at an average 23% discount as agricultural credit risks rise, and the growing adoption of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs could shift Brazil’s meat industry towards higher-value and nutrient-dense protein.

AgTech

• Síntese Invests US$18m in Next-Generation Biologicals

• One in Six Farmers Already Uses Generative AI

• Sumitomo Makes BioRationals Central to Brazil Growth

• Study Identifies 22 Barriers to Cooperative Digitalization

Climate Tech

• Nestlé Expands Brazilian Cocoa Sourcing and Regenerative Farming

• Coamo’s US$340m Corn-Ethanol Biorefinery Nears Completion

• Yara Opens US$240m Low-Carbon Fertilizer Project

• US Carbon Credit Starts Pricing Farm Practices into Ethanol

Funding & M&A

• Heringer Prepares for Possible Debt Restructuring

• Vale Invests in Pátria’s US$400m Reforestation Fund

Macro & Markets

• Rural Credit-Financed Area Falls 26%

• Fiagros Trade at 23% Discount as Credit Risks Rise

• GLP-1 Adoption Could Reshape Brazil’s Protein Market

AgTech

Síntese Invests US$18m in Next-Generation Biologicals — The Paraná-based company is investing US$12 million in a new research and production facility and has secured another US$6 million from Finep. Síntese has catalogued around 500 microorganisms that live inside plants and is using them to develop enzymes, peptides and other biological products. Its first four products are expected to reach the market in the second half of 2027. Source: AgFeed

One in Six Farmers Already Uses Generative AI — A McKinsey survey of 5,500 farmers in ten countries found that 17% already use generative AI for farm-related tasks, although only 4% pay for it. Adoption is highest in Latin America and North America, but AI has not replaced personal advice: 89% of Latin American respondents still identify agronomists as a trusted source for agricultural decisions. Source: AgFeed

Sumitomo Makes BioRationals Central to Brazil Growth — Sumitomo Chemical plans to double its Brazilian business by 2030, with biologicals, pheromones and plant-growth regulators playing a central role. Products grouped under its BioRationals strategy already account for 18% of sales volume but generate 25% of the company’s results in Brazil, where it reported revenue of approximately US$820 million in 2025. Source: AgFeed

Study Identifies 22 Barriers to Cooperative Digitalization — Research from Fundação Dom Cabral identified 22 obstacles affecting technology adoption among coffee and dairy cooperatives in Minas Gerais. The main difficulties include limited rural connectivity, a lack of digital skills, resistance to new systems and insufficient capital. The findings also suggest that platforms must reflect the unusual structure of cooperatives, where farmers are simultaneously owners, suppliers and customers. Source: Portal do Agronegócio

Climate Tech

Nestlé Expands Brazilian Cocoa Sourcing and Regenerative Farming — Nestlé is buying more Brazilian cocoa as it diversifies a global supply chain disrupted by disease and record prices. The company is working with hundreds of local farms on practices intended to improve productivity, reduce conventional fertilizer use and strengthen resilience. Brazil currently supplies Nestlé’s domestic needs, while the government expects national cocoa production to nearly double over the next five years. Source: CNN Brasil

Coamo’s US$340m Corn-Ethanol Biorefinery Nears Completion — Construction of the cooperative’s Campo Mourão biorefinery is 60% complete, with operations expected to begin in early 2027. The facility will process 1,700 tonnes of corn and produce up to 765,000 litres of ethanol per day, alongside animal feed and corn oil. It will create a new market for around 600,000 tonnes of corn supplied annually by Coamo members. Source: CNN Brasil

Yara Opens US$240m Low-Carbon Fertilizer Project — Yara has opened a carbon-capture system at its ammonia plant in the Netherlands that can prevent up to 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. The captured gas will be transported to Norway and stored beneath the seabed. The challenge will be finding buyers willing to recognize the lower emissions, particularly in price-sensitive markets such as Brazil, which imports around 85% of its fertilizer. Source: Exame

US Carbon Credit Starts Pricing Farm Practices into Ethanol — New rules allow farm-level practices such as reduced tillage and cover crops to lower the calculated carbon intensity of corn used for US ethanol. That can increase the value of the 45Z tax credit received by fuel producers, although any benefit reaching farmers will depend on contracts and certification costs. The system offers an interesting comparison with Brazil’s RenovaBio and CBIO market. Source: CNN Brasil

Funding & M&A

Heringer Prepares for Possible Debt Restructuring — Fertilizantes Heringer’s board has authorized management to pursue an extrajudicial or judicial restructuring if negotiations with creditors fail. The company has secured a 60-day suspension of collection actions involving creditors invited to mediation. Heringer reported total liabilities of approximately US$163 million after quarterly fertilizer sales fell 62%, although it has not yet formally entered a recovery process. Source: AgFeed

Vale Invests in Pátria’s US$400m Reforestation Fund — Vale has made an undisclosed investment in Pátria’s Reforest Fund in exchange for access to carbon credits generated by its projects. The fund will acquire or lease degraded Atlantic Forest land and combine native-tree restoration with agroforestry, timber and agricultural production. It has raised US$32 million so far and is targeting annual returns of up to 12% in dollars over 15 years. Source: Capital Reset

Macro & Markets

Rural Credit-Financed Area Falls 26% — The area covered by Brazilian crop and livestock financing fell from 34.2 million to 25.4 million hectares in the year to July, according to Farsul’s analysis of Banco Central data. Lending declined 12% to approximately US$36 billion, while almost a quarter of the national rural-credit portfolio is now delayed, renegotiated or otherwise stressed. Smaller farmers have fewer alternatives as banks tighten their lending criteria. Source: AgFeed

Fiagros Trade at 23% Discount as Credit Risks Rise — A study of 28 credit-focused Fiagros found that their units trade at an average 23% discount to net asset value while offering dividend yields of around 15.6%. As bank lending contracts and agricultural defaults increase, fund managers are demanding more collateral and charging annual rates of 18% to 20%. The funds are becoming an increasingly important—but considerably more expensive—source of agricultural finance. Source: InfoMoney

GLP-1 Adoption Could Reshape Brazil’s Protein Market — Around 6% of Brazilian adults already use GLP-1 weight-loss medicines, according to a McKinsey–Scanntech survey of more than 2,000 consumers. Users eat less but pay greater attention to nutritional content, potentially favouring smaller quantities of higher-value protein. JBS is investing in hydrolysis and biotechnology to develop functional proteins and extract more value from animal by-products as these consumption patterns evolve. Source: CNN Brasil

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

Share

In Brazil AgTech news this week, AI and satellite imagery cut cotton field inspections by 75%, Caatinga biome fungi show promise for heat-resistant biofungicides, Mantiqueira invests in automation and AI to expand egg production, and Rio Grande do Sul lets farmers issue animal-transit documents through WhatsApp.

In Climate Tech, Mato Grosso’s biomass-policy reversal threatens a R$10 billion forestry expansion, Brazil’s agricultural transition could require US$511 billion, the country prepares to introduce its SAF mandate, and forest-compatible production receives just 0.4% of agricultural credit.

In Funding & M&A, COFCO buys Bunge’s remaining Brazilian sugar mills, Celcoin acquires VERT, Raízen completes its US$1.42 billion Argentine divestment, and 3Corações closes its US$160 million acquisition of Yoki and Kitano.

And in Macro & Markets, an EU embargo disrupts US$1.84 billion in Brazilian animal-product exports, rural-insurance reform heads for presidential sanction, and soaring sulfur costs threaten Brazil’s phosphate-fertilizer supply.

AgTech

• AI Cuts Cotton Inspections by 75%

• Caatinga Biome Fungi Show Biofungicide Potential

• WhatsApp AI Simplifies Animal-Transit Documents

• Mantiqueira Automates Egg Expansion

Climate Tech

• Biomass Reversal Threatens R$10 Billion Forestry Plan

• Brazil’s Agricultural Transition May Cost US$511 Billion

• SAF Mandate Could Initially Cover 12 Airlines

• Forest-Compatible Farming Gets Just 0.4% of Agricultural Credit

Funding & M&A

• COFCO Buys Bunge’s Brazilian Sugar Mills

• Celcoin Acquires VERT and Enters Structured Credit

• Raízen Completes US$1.42 Billion Argentine Exit

• 3Corações Completes US$160 Million Yoki Acquisition

Macro & Markets

• EU Embargo Hits US$1.84 Billion in Brazilian Exports

• Rural-Insurance Reform Heads for Presidential Sanction

• Sulfur Shock Threatens Brazil’s Fertilizer Supply

AgTech

AI cuts cotton field visits by 75% — Picsel and Bureau Veritas have replaced three of four physical field visits with satellite imagery and AI, while retaining one in-person measurement for validation. During its first operating season, the system evaluated 10,267 cotton fields and has now processed more than 800,000 hectares across six Brazilian states. The models, trained on over 12,000 field samples, reportedly achieved an average error below 0.5 plants per metre. Source: Portal do Agronegócio

Caatinga biome fungi show biofungicide potential — Embrapa researchers identified 14 native Trichoderma isolates capable of suppressing five crop pathogens while tolerating the high temperatures of Brazil’s semi-arid region. Some reduced pathogen growth by more than 70%, while others produced over 1.4 billion spores per gram of substrate—an important factor for commercial-scale manufacturing. The findings could support biological products that remain effective under hotter and drier conditions, although field trials are still required. Source: Revista Cultivar

WhatsApp AI simplifies animal-transit documents — Farmers in Rio Grande do Sul can now use GurIA, the state government’s conversational-AI assistant, to issue the mandatory Guia de Trânsito Animal for horses, ponies and donkeys directly through WhatsApp. Producers can also consult, release, cancel and obtain copies of existing permits for other species. The service offers a practical example of AI reducing rural bureaucracy through a platform farmers already use. Source: O Presente Rural

Mantiqueira invests US$113 million in egg expansion — JBS-controlled Mantiqueira plans to increase annual production capacity by 50%, from four billion to six billion eggs, by 2028. The investment includes new and expanded farms, digitalization, AI and automated equipment capable of grading 200,000 eggs per hour. It will also expand cage-free production and an integration program expected to involve approximately 120 small farmers. The company did not disclose how AI will be used. Source: AgroTimes

Climate Tech

Biomass reversal threatens US$2 billion forestry plan — Mato Grosso has suspended an agreement intended to phase out native wood use by corn-ethanol plants by 2035, leaving investors uncertain about future biomass rules. The forestry industry estimates that meeting demand with renewable eucalyptus would require approximately US$2 billion and expand planted area from 165,000 to 400,000 hectares by 2030. The state is considering allowing large consumers to continue sourcing up to 5% of their biomass from native vegetation. Source: Forbes Brasil

Brazil’s agricultural transition may cost US$511 billion — A study by Cebrap and ClimaInfo estimates that transforming Brazil’s food and agricultural system will require cumulative investment of between US$268 billion and US$511 billion by 2050. Priorities include restoring degraded pastures, expanding integrated crop-livestock-forestry systems, green rural credit, agroforestry, traceability and climate-resilient infrastructure. The figures are scenario-based estimates rather than an official government investment requirement. Source: Brasilagro

SAF mandate could initially cover 12 operators — Brazil’s aviation regulator estimates that 12 airlines, cargo carriers and air-taxi operators could fall under the country’s sustainable aviation fuel program in 2027. The proposed threshold covers operators emitting more than 10,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually on domestic flights. ProBioQAV will initially require a 1% emissions reduction, creating demand for SAF made from agricultural residues, ethanol and vegetable oils. The threshold and compliance rules are still being finalized. Source: Capital Reset

Green credit receives just 0.4% of agricultural lending — Only 0.4% of Brazil’s agricultural credit went to socio-environmental Pronaf programs supporting agroecology, bioeconomy and forest production during the 2023/24 season, according to research published in PLOS Climate. The authors argue that Amazonian producers lack adequate access to finance for businesses that depend on maintaining standing forests, leaving potentially viable production systems reliant on philanthropy and international cooperation. Source: Neo Mondo

Funding & M&A

COFCO buys Bunge’s Brazilian sugar mills — COFCO International agreed to acquire the Rio Vermelho and Nova Unialco mills in São Paulo, adding seven million tonnes of annual sugarcane-crushing capacity. The deal will increase COFCO’s Brazilian capacity from 18.5 million to 25.5 million tonnes and marks Bunge’s exit from domestic sugarcane processing. The purchase price was not disclosed, and completion remains subject to regulatory approval. Source: Forbes Brasil

Celcoin acquires VERT and enters structured credit — Financial-infrastructure company Celcoin acquired VERT Capital, expanding into securitization, fiduciary administration and structured-fund management. VERT has approximately US$19 billion under administration and works with instruments including FIAGRO, CRA and rural-credit funds. The combination could strengthen the infrastructure used to originate and distribute agricultural credit outside conventional banks. The purchase price was not disclosed. Source: Startups.com.br

Raízen completes US$1.42 billion Argentine exit — Raízen completed the sale of its Argentine downstream operations to companies controlled by Mercuria Energy. The consideration combines cash with the assumption of local debt and remains subject to customary post-closing adjustments. Proceeds will support Raízen’s effort to reduce leverage and concentrate capital on priority markets, potentially improving its capacity to invest in Brazilian sugar, ethanol and bioenergy operations. Source: NP Agro

3Corações completes US$160 million Yoki acquisition — 3Corações completed its purchase of General Mills’ Brazilian operations, including the Yoki and Kitano brands and factories in Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso. The acquisition takes Brazil’s leading coffee company into categories including grains, flour, popcorn, farofa and seasonings, while expanding its workforce to approximately 12,700 people and its distribution footprint to more than 600,000 retail outlets. Source: Food Forum

Macro & Markets

EU embargo hits US$1.84 billion in Brazilian exports — The European Union suspended imports of Brazilian beef, poultry, eggs and other animal products after deciding that Brazil had not provided sufficient guarantees regarding prohibited antimicrobials. Beef accounted for US$1.05 billion of the affected 2025 trade and poultry for US$763 million. The restriction reflects concerns about national monitoring and certification—not evidence that prohibited residues were found in Brazilian meat. Source: AgroTimes

Rural-insurance reform heads for presidential sanction — Brazil’s Senate approved legislation making premium subsidies mandatory within the annual budget, establishing deadlines for processing and paying claims, and allowing insurance policies to serve as rural-credit guarantees. The bill could also expand private participation in the country’s long-delayed catastrophe fund. However, most of the US$240 million proposed for the program in 2027 remains dependent on fiscal measures before it can be released. Source: CNN Brasil

Sulfur shock threatens Brazil’s fertilizer supply — Sulfur prices climbed from approximately US$80 per tonne in 2024 to a peak of US$1,200 before easing to around US$800. Global exports fell almost 40% during the first half of 2026, increasing costs for phosphate fertilizers such as MAP and DAP. Rabobank expects phosphate affordability to remain under pressure until at least July 2027, potentially encouraging Brazilian farmers to reduce applications and draw down nutrients stored in their soils. Source: Exame

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

Share

In AgTech news this week, satellite analysis identified potential crop-area mismatches involving US$440 million in publicly financed soybean operations. CNA launched a WhatsApp-based AI adviser, EarthOptics surpassed 600,000 hectares of Brazilian soil analysis, and Embrapa advanced a process for producing bioinsecticides at industrial scale.

In Climate Tech, 4Wood Biotech plans to invest US$540 million in a bamboo biorefinery in Maranhão. Biodiesel demand is driving a 74% expansion in canola planting, Brazilian researchers are developing a lower-energy route to ammonia, and Yara and Coopercitrus are targeting lower-carbon coffee and cocoa.

In Funding & M&A, financial pressure is spreading through the agricultural-input sector as Essere Group and Sefert seek judicial protection and Heringer negotiates with creditors. 051 Capital is deploying land-backed credit into distressed farms, Suno raised US$11 million for its listed farmland fund, and Amaggi is seeking US$100 million through a CRA.

In Macro & Markets, Europe’s deforestation rules are testing Brazil’s agricultural data infrastructure. Falling fertilizer demand prompted an US$800 million subsidized-credit response, Luft plans 150 local distribution hubs, and drought threatens grain transportation along the Tapajós.

AgTech

• Satellites Flag US$440 Million in Soy-Credit Mismatches

• CNA Launches WhatsApp AI Adviser

• EarthOptics Maps 600,000 Hectares of Brazilian Soil

• Embrapa Advances Industrial Bioinsecticide Production

Climate Tech

• US$540 Million Bamboo Biorefinery Approved

• Canola Planting Jumps 74% on Biodiesel Demand

• Researchers Advance Lower-Energy Ammonia Production

• Yara and Coopercitrus Target Lower-Carbon Coffee and Cocoa

Funding & M&A

• Fertilizer Companies Face Growing Financial Distress

• 051 Capital Deploys US$50 Million into Distressed Farms

• Suno Raises US$11 Million for Farmland Fund

• Amaggi Seeks US$100 Million Through CRA

Macro & Markets

• EUDR Tests Brazil’s Agricultural Data Infrastructure

• Fertilizer Slump Triggers US$800 Million Credit Response

• Luft Plans 150 Local Hubs for 24-Hour Input Delivery

• Tapajós Bottleneck Threatens Grain Exports

AgTech

Satellites Flag US$440 Million in Soy-Credit Mismatches — Serasa Experian used Sentinel-2 imagery and automated crop identification to compare 42,691 publicly financed soybean operations with what appeared to have been planted. While 82.6% showed broad alignment, 17.4% had differences exceeding 10% of the financed area, representing US$440 million in credit. The findings can direct lenders toward operations requiring further investigation but do not independently prove misuse. Source: Forbes Agro

CNA Launches WhatsApp AI Adviser — Brazil’s Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock has launched JoIA, a free AI assistant offering farmers technical, financial and management guidance through WhatsApp. The tool draws on 17 years of production-cost data from CNA’s Campo Futuro project, allowing users to compare regional performance and evaluate input prices and exchange ratios. Integration with Senar content will also direct farmers toward relevant training materials and courses. Source: CNN Brasil

EarthOptics Maps 600,000 Hectares of Brazilian Soil — The US AgTech has analyzed more than 30,000 samples for approximately 700 Brazilian producers since entering the market in 2023. Its platform combines sensors, AI and metagenomics to detect soil characteristics, nematodes and microbial activity, helping farmers target chemical and biological treatments more precisely. EarthOptics, which uses Campinas as its South American laboratory base, is targeting annual regional growth of at least 50%. Source: AgFeed

Embrapa Advances Industrial Bioinsecticide Production — Embrapa and biological-input company Efense have developed a process for producing fungal bioinsecticides through liquid fermentation. Validated in 1,200-litre industrial bioreactors, the method produced up to 2.8 billion fungal cells per millilitre within four days. New formulations remained viable for up to 90 days under refrigeration and achieved 70%–93% mortality against fall armyworm and whitefly in controlled trials, with effectiveness also demonstrated in soybean fields. Source: Embrapa

Climate Tech

US$540 Million Bamboo Biorefinery Approved — Brazil’s Export Processing Zone Council has authorized 4Wood Biotech to install a biorefinery in Bacabeira, Maranhão. The proposed facility would process bamboo biomass into second-generation ethanol and other bioproducts for export, creating a potentially significant new agricultural supply chain in the Northeast. The approval allows the project to operate inside the export zone but does not confirm that financing, construction or feedstock contracting has been completed. Source: MDIC

Canola Planting Jumps 74% on Biodiesel Demand — Rio Grande do Sul’s canola area reached an estimated 366,000 hectares this season as processors increased demand for alternative biodiesel feedstocks. Canola contains approximately twice as much oil as soybeans and is now trading at a premium to the crop it once trailed. As a winter crop, it could also support future sustainable aviation fuel production without replacing the state’s main summer soybean crop. Source: The AgriBiz

Researchers Advance Lower-Energy Ammonia Production — Brazilian researchers found that controlled ageing can improve the productivity of cobalt-oxide electrocatalysts used to convert nitrate pollution into ammonia. Unlike the conventional Haber-Bosch process, the experimental route operates at ambient temperature and pressure and could use renewable electricity. However, ageing also made the catalyst less selective, producing more unwanted compounds. The research identifies ways to improve future catalyst design but remains far from demonstrating commercial cost or scale. Source: FAPESP

Yara and Coopercitrus Target Lower-Carbon Coffee and Cocoa — Yara Brasil and Coopercitrus signed a non-binding agreement to evaluate projects that reduce emissions across coffee and cocoa production. Studies will examine business opportunities involving lower-carbon fertilizers and other technologies and inputs that combine productivity with a smaller environmental footprint. The cooperative already distributes Yara products classified as having very low carbon intensity, while the fertilizer company has similar partnerships across coffee, cocoa and banana supply chains. Source: CNN Brasil

Funding & M&A

Fertilizer Companies Face Growing Financial Distress — Financial pressure is spreading through Brazil’s agricultural-input sector. Essere Group requested judicial recovery with US$44 million in debt, while Sefert entered recovery owing US$48 million. Fertilizantes Heringer has meanwhile requested a 60-day suspension of creditor claims while it begins mediation. The three developments suggest that high interest rates, tighter farm credit and weak input demand are now affecting manufacturers as well as producers. Sources: AgFeed, Globo Rural and CNN Brasil

051 Capital Deploys US$50 Million into Distressed Farms — The investment manager is providing land-backed loans to indebted grain producers, primarily in Matopiba. Typical transactions range from US$4 million to US$8 million, with two years of principal grace and four years to repay. Borrowers pay CDI plus 8% annually and must pledge farmland worth at least 2.5 times the loan. The terms offer breathing room, but only to producers with substantial assets and viable cash flow. Source: The AgriBiz

Suno Raises US$11 Million for Farmland Fund — Suno’s listed SNFZ11 fund increased its equity by 40% after completing a follow-on offering largely supported by one institutional investor. Retail investors contributed only US$160,000, illustrating the difficult fundraising environment for publicly traded farmland vehicles. The proceeds will finance three Mato Grosso farms with 2,200 agricultural hectares, expanding the portfolio to six properties covering 3,800 hectares. Source: The AgriBiz

Amaggi Seeks US$100 Million Through CRA — The agricultural group launched a seven-year agribusiness receivables offering restricted to professional investors. One US$60 million tranche will pay 105% of Brazil’s CDI benchmark rate, while the remaining US$40 million will offer a fixed annual return of 15.10%. The documentation does not clearly specify how the proceeds will be used, although Amaggi recently approved the early redemption of a similarly sized CRA issued in 2024. Source: The AgriBiz

Macro & Markets

EUDR Tests Brazil’s Agricultural Data Infrastructure — From December 30, large and medium companies exporting soy, beef, coffee and other covered products to Europe must provide geolocation and evidence that production did not involve deforestation after 2020. The rules affect Brazilian agricultural exports worth approximately US$25 billion annually. Compliance will require interoperable data, traceability and segregated supply chains, with fragmented sectors and smaller producers facing the greatest difficulty. Sources: UOL Economia and European Commission

Fertilizer Slump Triggers US$800 Million Credit Response — Brazilian fertilizer deliveries could fall from 49 million tonnes in 2025 to between 42 million and 45 million this year as restricted credit and weak margins delay purchases and reduce application. The government has meanwhile allocated US$800 million in subsidized BNDES financing for fertilizer companies, primarily for working capital. Reduced phosphorus use could cut soybean productivity by 5%–7%, particularly on newer agricultural land. Sources: AgFeed and The AgriBiz

Luft Plans 150 Local Input Hubs — Luft Logistics is testing an e-commerce-inspired distribution model that places smaller warehouses closer to farms. Its first mini-hub is operating in Uruçuí, Piauí, with a second under discussion in Jataí, Goiás, and the company could eventually create 100–150 locations. Luft already handles approximately 350,000 agricultural deliveries annually and estimates that its operations touch 30%–40% of Brazil’s fertilizer, crop-protection and foliar-input flows. Source: AgFeed

Tapajós Bottleneck Threatens Grain Exports — Drought and unresolved dredging disputes could disrupt between five million and 5.5 million tonnes of soybeans and corn moving from Mato Grosso through the Arco Norte. Industry groups estimate that redirecting cargo to alternative routes could add US$100 million–US$160 million in logistics costs. The federal government suspended planned maintenance dredging pending environmental licensing and consultation with Indigenous and traditional communities, while arguing that road transport can provide contingency capacity. Source: CNN Brasil

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

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In AgTech news this week, Herdian is using computer vision to prevent newborn piglet deaths, while Brazil’s biodefensives market has reached $1.1 billion. Embrapa has developed a method for predicting technology adoption, and AgRisk has spun out of Nagro to meet demand for agricultural credit intelligence.

Turning to Climate Tech, ZEG is testing whether carbon revenue can compete with soybean expansion in the Amazon. Cattle traceability is extending to indirect suppliers, a strong El Niño is reshaping agricultural risk, and ANAC is preparing detailed SAF compliance rules.

In Funding & M&A, JBS has offered $1.2 billion for the remaining shares in Pilgrim’s Pride, while Agroterenas has secured $32 million to convert degraded pasture into sugarcane without clearing new land.

Across Macro & Markets, Brazil has opened its first large-scale sorghum trade route to China, while Chinese crop-input producer Fuhua is expanding its presence in the country. Argentine corn is challenging Brazilian exports, and seven cooperatives have begun operating a major soybean-processing plant.

AgTech

• Herdian Uses AI to Prevent Piglet Deaths

• Biodefensives Market Reaches $1.1 Billion

• Embrapa Develops Technology-Adoption Method

• AgRisk Spins Out of Nagro

Climate Tech

• Carbon Project Competes with Soy Expansion

• Amazon Cattle Traceability Expands to Indirect Suppliers

• Strong El Niño Reprices Agricultural Risk

• ANAC Prepares SAF Compliance Rules

Funding & M&A

• JBS Offers $1.2 Billion for Remaining Pilgrim’s Pride Stake

• Agroterenas Raises $32 Million for Pasture Conversion

Macro & Markets

• Brazil Opens Sorghum Trade Route to China

• Fuhua Expands in Brazil’s Crop-Input Market

• Argentine Corn Challenges Brazilian Exports

• Cooperatives Begin Operating Soybean Crusher

AgTech

Herdian Uses AI to Prevent Piglet Deaths – Herdian has developed a computer-vision system that monitors farrowing pens and alerts farm staff when newborn piglets are at risk of being crushed by the sow. The Brazilian startup says its technology can reduce mortality while providing producers with data on births, animal behavior and operational performance. The system addresses a costly livestock-management problem using existing camera infrastructure rather than wearable devices. Source: Globo Rural

Biodefensives Market Reaches $1.1 Billion – Brazil’s biodefensives market generated approximately $1.1 billion in the 2025/26 season, as the area treated with biological products increased by 35%. Adoption is expanding beyond soybeans into crops including sugarcane, corn, cotton and coffee, reflecting stronger demand for pest-management tools that can complement chemical inputs. The growth reinforces Brazil’s position as one of the world’s most dynamic markets for agricultural biologicals. Source: AgFeed

Embrapa Develops Technology-Adoption Method – Embrapa and Unicamp researchers have developed a methodology for assessing whether digital agricultural technologies are likely to succeed in specific farming environments. The model examines infrastructure, farm characteristics, users’ capabilities, economics and environmental conditions before a technology is deployed. It could help developers and investors identify adoption barriers earlier, reducing the risk of building products that perform technically but fail to gain traction with farmers. Source: Embrapa

AgRisk Spins Out of Nagro – Brazilian AgFintech, Nagro, has separated its agricultural credit-risk technology into an independent B2B company called AgRisk. Its AgFlow platform has assessed approximately $2 billion in credit this year and serves 1,600 clients, combining financial analysis, collateral monitoring and farm data. The spinout reflects growing demand for specialist risk intelligence as rural credit becomes tighter, while AgRisk is also evaluating the creation of a Fiagro to provide additional funding through its platform. Source: AgFeed

Climate Tech

Carbon Project Competes with Soy Expansion – ZEG has structured a 40-year carbon project protecting almost 6,000 hectares in Roraima that could legally be cleared for soybean production. The landowner will receive 60% of the project’s revenue, although estimated carbon returns remain around 20% below the potential income from soybeans. The project provides a real-world test of whether higher-integrity carbon credits can make standing forest financially competitive with agricultural expansion. Source: Bloomberg Línea

Amazon Cattle Traceability Expands to Indirect Suppliers – From 2027, meatpackers operating in Brazil’s Amazon will begin monitoring cattle acquired through indirect suppliers under agreements with the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office. The change aims to address a major gap in livestock traceability, as animals can move between multiple farms before reaching a slaughterhouse. Bringing breeding and intermediary properties into the system could improve visibility over deforestation risks across the cattle supply chain. Source: Globo Rural

Strong El Niño Reprices Agricultural Risk – Agricultural markets are beginning to incorporate the growing probability of an exceptionally strong El Niño, with Brazilian coffee, wheat and soybean production facing different combinations of excessive rainfall, heat and drought. The elevated risk makes climate forecasting, insurance and farm-level adaptation increasingly important ahead of the next crop cycle, particularly as extreme conditions could affect production across several important agricultural regions simultaneously. Source: InfoMoney

ANAC Prepares SAF Compliance Rules – Brazil’s civil aviation regulator plans to open a 30-day public consultation in September on detailed rules for the country’s sustainable aviation fuel mandate. The proposal will cover emissions accounting, verification and penalties, with final regulations expected in October before the mandate begins in 2027. The framework will influence demand for agricultural feedstocks and certification systems, while providing greater clarity for investment in Brazilian SAF production. Source: Capital Reset

Funding & M&A

JBS Offers $1.2 Billion for Remaining Pilgrim’s Pride Stake – JBS has proposed acquiring the shares it does not already own in US poultry producer Pilgrim’s Pride through an all-stock transaction. The offer would exchange 2.086 JBS shares for each outstanding Pilgrim’s Pride share, giving the proposal an estimated value of $1.2 billion. Full ownership would simplify JBS’s international structure and allow Pilgrim’s Pride to delist from Nasdaq, although the non-binding offer still requires approval from independent directors and minority shareholders. Source: Bloomberg Línea

Agroterenas Raises $32 Million for Pasture Conversion – Agroterenas has raised $32 million through agribusiness receivables certificates to convert degraded pasture into sugarcane fields without clearing native vegetation. The financing will support the company’s expansion in Mato Grosso do Sul, where it plans to increase production while improving land productivity. The transaction illustrates how capital-market instruments can fund agricultural growth through the recovery of previously cleared land rather than further expansion into natural ecosystems. Source: CNN Brasil

Macro & Markets

Brazil Opens Sorghum Trade Route to China – COFCO has dispatched approximately 69,000 tonnes of Brazilian sorghum from Santos to Guangzhou, marking the country’s first large-scale shipment to China following an earlier container-based trial. Commercial access to the world’s largest sorghum importer creates a new export outlet for Brazilian farmers and could strengthen the crop’s role as a lower-risk second-season alternative to corn. Source: COFCO

Fuhua Expands in Brazil’s Crop-Input Market – Chinese crop-input producer Fuhua is expanding its Brazilian presence as it seeks greater recognition among farmers and a larger share of the market. The company is investing in local distribution, regulatory registrations and closer relationships with agricultural retailers. Its strategy reflects a broader shift by Chinese companies from supplying ingredients behind the scenes to establishing their own brands and competing directly for value within Brazil’s agricultural-input market. Source: AgFeed

Argentine Corn Challenges Brazilian Exports – Argentina could export 45 million tonnes of corn and overtake Brazil, intensifying competition as Brazilian shipments to Iran—its largest market in 2025—fell 43% between January and July. Brazil needs to export approximately 40 million tonnes to balance domestic supply, meaning weaker overseas demand could pressure producer margins despite growing consumption from the country’s corn-ethanol industry. Source: Exame

Cooperatives Begin Operating Soybean Crusher – Seven Paraná cooperatives have begun operating a soybean-processing plant acquired from Louis Dreyfus Company in Ponta Grossa. The facility can crush 3,400 tonnes per day and will produce soybean meal, oil and biodiesel feedstock. The jointly owned operation expands farmers’ participation in downstream processing, allowing the cooperatives to capture more value from their soybean production while strengthening their position in animal feed, biofuels and export markets. Source: CNN Brasil

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

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In Brazil AgTech news this week, Chinese agribusiness giant DBN is targeting 30% of Brazil’s soybean-biotech market, while Cogny has registered the country’s first locally developed metabolite-based biofungicide. Embrapa has identified nitrogen-fixing bacteria with potential use in cotton bioinputs, and a new study estimates AI could add $10 billion to Brazilian agriculture by 2030.

In Climate Tech, Brazil has introduced rules for SAF, carbon capture and low-carbon hydrogen, while the STF has upheld the Soy Moratorium. Amazon deforestation alerts have fallen 37%, international carbon-credit sales are moving closer, and Brazilian agricultural capital is expanding into Bolivia.

In Macro & Markets news, the Senate has approved up to $2 billion in incentives for domestic fertilizer production. Rising judicial-recovery filings and a new rural-debt restructuring program reveal growing financial pressure across the sector, while a $244 billion logistics plan sets out a longer-term route for improving infrastructure.

AgTech

• DBN Targets 30% of Brazil’s Soybean Biotech Market

• Cogny Registers Brazil’s First Metabolite-Based Biofungicide

• AI Could Add $10 Billion to Brazilian Agriculture

• Embrapa Finds Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria in Cotton

• Nestlé, Carrefour and Ourofino Seek AgTech Solutions

Climate Tech

• Brazil Regulates SAF, Carbon Capture and Low-Carbon Hydrogen

• STF Upholds the Soy Moratorium

• Brazilian Agricultural Capital Expands into Bolivia

• Amazon Deforestation Alerts Fall 37%

• Brazil Prepares International Carbon-Credit Sales

Macro & Markets

• Brazil Approves $2 Billion Fertilizer-Incentive Program

• Rural-Debt Restructuring Targets Mounting Credit Stress

• Judicial-Recovery Filings by Farmers Jump 73.5%

• Brazil Launches $244 Billion Logistics Plan

AgTech

DBN Targets 30% of Brazil’s Soybean Biotech Market – Chinese agribusiness group DBN plans to capture 30% of Brazil’s soybean-biotechnology market, challenging Bayer, Corteva, BASF and Syngenta. The Shenzhen-listed company will establish an R&D center in Campinas, beginning with a molecular-biology laboratory for GM crops. Fieldwork on its first herbicide-tolerance and insect-control platforms starts this year, ahead of a planned 2028 commercial launch. Its pipeline also includes traits targeting stink bugs, rust and nematodes. Source: Forbes Agro

Cogny Registers Brazil’s First Metabolite-Based Biofungicide – Cogny has received regulatory approval for Metabolic Protection, the first biofungicide based entirely on metabolites developed in Brazil. Unlike conventional biological products that apply living microorganisms, the technology delivers approximately 40 bioactive molecules directly to the plant. More than 20 act against fungi, while another 17 stimulate the plant’s natural defenses. Developed over five years with Cogny’s R&D arm Orygen, the product will initially target soybean diseases, with potential expansion into cotton and beans. Source: AgFeed

AI Could Add $10 Billion to Brazilian Agriculture – Artificial intelligence could add $10 billion to Brazilian agriculture between 2027 and 2030, according to a study by Reglab commissioned by OpenAI. Around 92% of the projected gains would come through more efficient machinery, equipment and production systems rather than office-based automation. The estimate points toward AI becoming embedded in tractors, sensors and farm operations, although limited rural connectivity and uneven access to modern equipment could slow adoption. Source: Exame Agro

Embrapa Finds Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria in Cotton – Embrapa researchers have identified bacteria capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into forms cotton plants can absorb. In controlled tests, inoculated plants developed similarly to those receiving recommended nitrogen fertilization. The bacteria were isolated from tree-cotton roots and tested on commercially grown upland cotton, opening a possible route toward bioinputs that reduce fertilizer costs, imports and emissions. The findings remain preliminary, with further strain evaluation and product development required before commercial use. Source: Embrapa

Nestlé, Carrefour and Ourofino Seek AgTech Solutions – Nestlé, Carrefour and Ourofino have presented new challenges for the fourth AptaHub Conecta open-innovation program. Nestlé is seeking continuous coffee-crop monitoring, Carrefour wants intelligent label-verification tools, and Ourofino is looking for technologies to improve pig-production efficiency without ractopamine. Applications remain open until August 31. Previous editions have trained 95 science-based startups and generated 27 commercial connections with participating companies. Source: Globo Rural

Climate Tech

Brazil Regulates SAF, Carbon Capture and Low-Carbon Hydrogen – Brazil has issued long-awaited decrees establishing frameworks for sustainable aviation fuel, carbon capture and storage, and low-carbon hydrogen. The SAF rules create a certification system and allow environmental attributes to be traded separately through book-and-claim, while CCS gains rules covering permits, pipelines and underground monitoring. The hydrogen program provides for $3.5 billion in tax credits. Agricultural residues, ethanol and vegetable oils could become important feedstocks, although further ANP and Anac regulations are still required. Source: Capital Reset

STF Upholds the Soy Moratorium – Brazil’s Supreme Court has ruled that the Soy Moratorium is legal and compatible with the Forest Code, rejecting claims that the agreement constitutes a cartel. The court also ordered the termination of related compensation cases and proceedings before Cade and other authorities. Established in 2006, the private agreement prevents participating traders from purchasing soy grown on Amazon land cleared after July 2008, imposing environmental requirements that extend beyond Brazil’s general land-use rules. Source: CNN Brasil

Brazilian Agricultural Capital Expands into Bolivia – Brazilian soybean and cattle investors are moving into Bolivia, attracted by cheaper land, new transport links and more permissive clearing rules. Much of the expansion is occurring in Chiquitania, a biodiverse dry-forest region connected to the Amazon basin. Bolivia lost around one-sixth of its tree cover between 2001 and 2025 and recorded the world’s second-largest tropical-forest loss last year. The movement raises concerns that agricultural expansion and deforestation pressure could migrate across the border as Brazil tightens domestic enforcement. Source: Bloomberg Línea

Amazon Deforestation Alerts Fall 37% – Deforestation alerts in Brazil’s Amazon covered 2,874 square kilometres between August 2025 and July 2026, down 37% from the previous twelve months. This was the lowest level recorded by the current Deter monitoring system, which began in 2015, and suggests Brazil could approach its lowest official annual deforestation rate since 1988. Deter provides rapid alerts for enforcement, while the higher-resolution Prodes system will produce the definitive annual estimate later this year. Source: Bloomberg Línea

Brazil Prepares International Carbon-Credit Sales – Brazil could begin authorizing advance sales of internationally transferable carbon credits in 2027 or 2028, before its regulated emissions market becomes fully operational in 2031. The Finance Ministry is revising proposed rules after a public consultation received 2,532 submissions, with project developers concerned about missing near-term international demand. Implementation still requires approved methodologies, a national compensation program and a central registry. Earlier authorization could help attract capital to forestry, restoration and agricultural carbon projects seeking access to Article 6 markets. Source: Capital Reset

Macro & Markets

Brazil Approves $2 Billion Fertilizer-Incentive Program – Brazil’s Senate has approved Profert, offering up to $2 billion in federal tax credits over five years for new fertilizer factories and the expansion or modernization of existing plants. The program covers synthetic, mineral and organic fertilizers, as well as remineralizers, bioinputs and biofertilizers. Designed to reduce Brazil’s dependence on imports, which supply roughly 85% of domestic fertilizer demand, the legislation now moves to presidential approval. Source: Senate

Rural-Debt Restructuring Targets Mounting Credit Stress – Brazil has authorized subsidized interest rates for a new rural-debt restructuring program, with ten financial institutions participating and contracts available through November 12. Banco do Brasil estimates that as much as $20 billion of its agricultural loan portfolio could qualify, illustrating the scale of the financial pressure created by high costs, weak margins and successive crop losses. Actual uptake will depend on eligibility reviews, bank execution and budget availability. Source: CNN Brasil

Judicial-Recovery Filings by Farmers Jump 73.5% – Brazilian agricultural producers operating as companies filed 196 judicial-recovery requests during the first quarter of 2026, up 73.5% year on year. Soybean growers accounted for 137 filings and cattle producers for 42. Including individual farmers and companies elsewhere in the agribusiness supply chain, filings reached 474, an increase of 21.9%. Mato Grosso led the country with 135 cases, followed by Goiás with 73. Source: Exame

Brazil Launches $244 Billion Logistics Plan – Brazil’s new National Logistics Plan identifies a potential $244 billion investment portfolio through 2050, spanning 42 logistics corridors across the country. Around $147 billion is expected to come from private capital and $98 billion from public funding. The plan seeks to lower transport costs and reduce the freight system’s reliance on roads by expanding rail and waterway integration. The figures represent potential projects rather than committed investment, with priorities still to be defined through sector-specific plans. Source: Agência iNFRA

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

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In Brazil AgTech news this week, Embrapa is bringing biological innovation closer to home with Brazil’s first international depository for patentable microorganisms, while Argentine startup Calice uses virtual trials to accelerate product development. Another Argentine startup, Agrofy, is retreating from Brazil to rethink its model around AI.

In Climate Tech, açaí pits are being transformed into nanofertilizer, while Tello scales organic-coated fertilizers designed to improve nutrient efficiency. Itaú is backing regenerative agriculture in the Cerrado as Brazil assesses the carbon-market potential of better farming practices.

In Funding & M&A, Vibra Foods has bought back Tyson Foods’ 40% stake, returning the poultry producer to full Brazilian ownership. Itaú is launching the country’s largest FIAGRO, targeting up to $1 billion in agricultural credit assets.

In Macro & Markets, Brazil’s agricultural cooperatives are approaching $100 billion in annual revenue, but fertilizer deliveries and domestic production have fallen sharply. Meanwhile, Chinese agrochemical companies are moving beyond generics to launch their own brands—and eventually patented products—in Brazil.

AgTech

• Embrapa to Host Brazil Microorganism Depository

• Calice Brings Virtual Crop Trials to Brazil

• Biologicals Find Fertile Ground in Paraguay

• Brazil’s AgTech Ecosystem Grows 84% in Six Years

• Agrofy Retreats from Brazil to Bet on AI

• CNH Named Brazil’s Most Innovative Company

Climate Tech

• Açaí Waste Powers Nanofertilizer

• Tello Scales Biointelligent Fertilizer Production

• São Paulo Climate Week Seeks Its Own Identity

• Itaú Backs Regenerative Farming in the Cerrado

• Brazil Ag Could Generate 314 Million Carbon Credits

Funding & M&A

• Vibra Foods Buys Back Tyson’s 40% Stake

• Itaú Launches Brazil’s Largest FIAGRO

Macro & Markets

• Brazil’s Agricultural Cooperatives Near $100 Billion

• Brazil’s Fertilizer Deliveries Fall 14.7%

• Chinese Agrochemical Makers Move Beyond Generics

AgTech

Embrapa to Host Brazil Microorganism Depository — Embrapa will establish Brazil’s first International Depositary Authority for microorganisms used in biotechnology patent applications. Backed by approximately US$3 million from Finep and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the three-year project will allow biological samples to be deposited domestically rather than sent abroad. Once accredited under the Budapest Treaty, Brazilian deposits will be recognized across 92 member countries, reducing costs and delays while strengthening protection for innovations in bioinputs, microbial pesticides and other biological technologies. Source: Forbes

Calice Brings Virtual Crop Trials to Brazil — Argentine startup Calice uses AI and computational modelling to simulate how seeds, biologicals and crop-protection products perform across different environments, reducing the time, cost and risk of physical trials. Its platform has helped identify around 40% more commercial soybean candidates using roughly half the test sites. Backed by a US$2.5 million seed round, Calice already works with Syngenta, BASF, Corteva and other major players and expects Brazil to generate 40% of its global revenue within five years. Source: AgFeed

Biologicals Find Fertile Ground in Paraguay — Brazilian biological-input companies Agrivalle and Gênica are expanding in Paraguay, attracted by lower interest rates, cheaper energy, faster product registration and growing farmer appetite for technology. Adoption remains below Brazil’s level, but the companies see faster growth potential in soybeans and corn. Agrivalle is strengthening distribution through Agrotec, while both businesses are evaluating opportunities in the emerging Chaco agricultural frontier. Source: The AgriBiz

Brazil’s AgTech Ecosystem Grows 84% in Six Years — The number of Brazilian AgTech startups increased from 1,125 in 2019 to 2,075 in 2025, according to Radar AgTech Brasil. The ecosystem grew another 5% last year as startups expanded across precision agriculture, AI, biotechnology, bioinputs, traceability, finance and carbon markets. Farms, cooperatives and agribusinesses are also becoming active testing grounds for new technologies, helping startups validate solutions and connect them with producers’ needs. Source: Portal do Agronegócio

Agrofy Retreats from Brazil to Bet on AI — Agrofy has suspended its Brazilian operations and cut its remaining local team after raising more than US$65 million to build the “Mercado Libre of agriculture.” Once responsible for 40% of the marketplace’s business volume, Brazil lost momentum as the agricultural inputs and machinery markets weakened. Agrofy will now concentrate on Argentina and AI, with plans to return through a new business model and potential partnerships. Source: AgFeed

CNH Named Brazil’s Most Innovative Company — Agricultural machinery maker CNH topped the Valor Inovação Brasil 2026 ranking after outperforming 269 other companies. CNH said it has used the sector’s worst downturn in 15 years to develop solutions that deliver lasting efficiency gains rather than relying solely on cost cuts. Cargill Nutrition and Animal Health led the agribusiness category, while Indovinya won in chemicals. Source: Globo Rural

Climate Tech

Açaí Waste Powers Nanofertilizer — Embrapa and the Federal University of Ceará have developed a nanofertilizer from discarded açaí pits that increased corn growth by 24% and sorghum growth by 164% in initial tests. Applied at just 10 milligrams per liter, it also boosted root growth by 23% and 59%, respectively. The technology could turn plentiful agroindustrial waste into a lower-dose fertilizer with less runoff, although scaling production beyond the laboratory remains a challenge. Source: Embrapa

Tello Scales Biointelligent Fertilizer Production — Created by Coopercitrus, Amaggi, Tecnobeef, AgroCP and two farming families, Tello has invested R$180 million in its first São Paulo plant and plans a similar facility in Mato Grosso. Its organic-coated fertilizers could improve phosphorus-use efficiency by up to 50% and reduce potassium and nitrogen use by around 30%. Each plant is expected to produce 300,000 tonnes annually and generate up to R$900 million in revenue at full capacity. Source: AgFeed

São Paulo Climate Week Seeks Its Own Identity — São Paulo Climate Week brought together around 300 activities across 30 venues from August 3–7 under a new unified structure. Now led by OFuturo, the event is building a distinctly Latin American agenda around six themes, including agriculture and food systems, biodiversity and climate finance. Working groups will continue developing projects, partnerships and funding opportunities after the week ends. Source: Capital Reset

Itaú Backs Regenerative Farming in the Cerrado — IDB Invest has approved a US$30 million loan to Itaú to finance regenerative practices among soybean farmers, with total support potentially reaching US$59 million. The six-year program initially targets 200,000 hectares, potentially expanding to 600,000, and could mobilize R$1 billion. Credit will support cover crops and bioinputs, alongside technical assistance and systems to monitor soil quality, emissions and deforestation. Source: Capital Reset

Brazilian Agriculture Could Generate 314 Million Carbon Credits — Brazil’s agricultural sector could generate up to 314.3 million carbon credits by 2035, potentially worth R$3.5 billion, according to an ABAG-backed study. Improved cropland management represents the largest opportunity, alongside animal-waste methane recovery, enteric methane reduction and biochar. However, revenues depend on regulation, international demand and government authorization of credits under the Paris Agreement. Source: Forbes

Funding & M&A

Vibra Foods Buys Back Tyson’s 40% Stake — Vibra Foods has returned to full Brazilian ownership after repurchasing the 40% stake acquired by Tyson Foods in 2020. The undisclosed deal ends the joint venture but preserves the companies’ commercial partnership. During Tyson’s investment, Vibra deployed more than R$500 million, expanded exports to around 80 countries and grew its workforce from 4,000 to nearly 7,000. The company now plans further international expansion and acquisitions. Source: CNN Brasil

Itaú Launches Brazil’s Largest FIAGRO — Itaú aims to raise up to R$4.85 billion through a fund that will acquire agricultural credit assets, including CRAs, LCAs and CPRs, originated within the bank’s own ecosystem. The structure allows Itaú to recycle capital into new rural lending while offering investors four maturities paying 91.5% to 93% of the CDI. Investor protection includes subordinated units held by Itaú and the repurchase of defaulted assets. Source: AgFeed

Macro & Markets

Brazil’s Agricultural Cooperatives Near $100 Billion — Brazil’s agricultural cooperatives generated $100 billion in revenue in 2025, up 11.2% after growth of just 1.9% in 2024. The rebound was driven by stronger prices for coffee, poultry, pork and agricultural inputs, alongside increasingly diversified operations. The country’s 1,254 agricultural cooperatives now represent 1.13 million members, employ 277,226 people and account for 10.3% of Brazilian agribusiness exports. Source: AgFeed

Brazil’s Fertilizer Deliveries Fall 14.7% — Fertilizer deliveries fell to 3.16 million tonnes in May, while domestic production dropped 26.2% and imports declined 9.4%. ANDA attributed the slowdown to geopolitical tensions, unfavorable barter ratios, scarce credit, high interest rates and El Niño risks. Domestic production fell 17.1% during the first five months of 2026, partly due to higher sulfur prices. Source: CNN Brasil

Chinese Agrochemical Makers Move Beyond Generics — Chinese suppliers already account for an estimated 85% of Brazil’s crop-protection chemicals and active ingredients, but are now pushing their own brands and preparing to introduce patented molecules and biopesticides. Nearly 70% of exhibitors at São Paulo’s Agrochemshow were Chinese. Rainbow reportedly generates over US$700 million in Brazil, while Synwill plans to expand locally as manufacturers move closer to Brazilian customers. Source: AgFeed

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

In this week’s Brazil AgTech news, Label Rouge is targeting premium consumers with milder-smelling free-range eggs, while Embrapa has trained AI models to identify drought-tolerant corn with more than 90% accuracy. A new $2 billion credit line could accelerate adoption of locally developed agricultural technology, and Cummins is preparing to expand into tractors, battery storage and lower-emission farm energy.

In Climate Tech, indigenous Brazil nut producers in Rondônia are receiving additional payments for conserving forests and biodiversity. Maringá will host Brazil’s first blue-economy innovation cluster, WRI Brasil is proposing a unified traceability framework for soy and beef, and federal agencies have introduced common standards for measuring native vegetation restoration across all six Brazilian biomes.

In Funding & M&A, Mantiqueira is returning to the capital markets with a $30 million offering, Symbiosis is seeking $100 million to scale its native-forest timber and carbon model, and Coamo is acquiring and leasing more assets from financially troubled Belagrícola as it expands across Paraná.

In Macro & Markets, China has signalled that it may increase fertilizer shipments to Brazil as more than 6.1 million tonnes move through the country’s import pipeline. The combination offers some reassurance ahead of the next planting season, although Brazil’s heavy reliance on imported nutrients continues to leave farmers exposed to geopolitics, logistics and global prices.

AgTech

• Label Rouge Targets Premium Egg Market With Odor-Free Product

• Cummins Targets Brazil’s Agricultural Machinery and Energy Markets

• AI Identifies Drought-Tolerant Corn With Over 90% Accuracy

• Brazil Launches $2 Billion Credit Line for Agricultural Innovation

Climate Tech

• Indigenous Brazil Nut Producers Receive Environmental-Service Payments

• Portuguese Group Selects Maringá for Brazil’s First Blue-Economy Cluster

• WRI Calls for Single Traceability Framework for Soy and Beef

• Brazil Sets National Rules for Native Vegetation Restoration

Funding & M&A

• Mantiqueira Returns to the CRA Market With $30 Million Offering

• Symbiosis Seeks $100 Million to Scale Native-Forest Timber Model

• Coamo Expands Through Acquisition of Belagrícola Assets

Macro & Markets

• China Signals More Fertilizer Supply as Brazilian Imports Accelerate

AgTech

Label Rouge Targets Premium Egg Market With Odor-Free Product - Brazilian egg producer Label Rouge has developed what it says are the country’s first free-range eggs without the strong smell often associated with eggs. The company attributes the milder aroma, redder yolks and firmer whites to outdoor rearing, plant-based feed and tighter quality controls. With Brazilian egg consumption expected to exceed 300 per person in 2026, Label Rouge is betting that sensory quality, animal welfare and product differentiation can support a more premium positioning in a fast-growing market. Source: Globo Rural

Cummins Targets Brazil’s Agricultural Machinery and Energy Markets - Cummins is expanding its agricultural business in Brazil after sales of engines and power generators to the sector rose more than 20% in 2025. The company plans to enter the tractor market from 2028 through an engine being validated with XCMG, while also growing sales of generators, microgrids and battery-storage systems for farms and agribusinesses. Cummins is adapting engines for ethanol, biomethane and higher biodiesel blends, and expects agricultural demand to rise as rural operations require more reliable and lower-emission energy solutions. Source: AgFeed

AI Identifies Drought-Tolerant Corn With Over 90% Accuracy - Embrapa and researchers at Brazil’s Center for Research in Genomics Applied to Climate Change have developed a system combining drones, multispectral sensors and artificial intelligence to identify corn hybrids that are more tolerant to drought. Tested on 28 hybrids over two years, the models reproduced conventional field assessments with accuracy above 90% in some scenarios. The approach could allow breeding programs to screen thousands of plants more quickly, reducing manual measurements and accelerating the development of climate-resilient cultivars. Source: Canal Rural

Brazil Launches $2 Billion Credit Line for Agricultural Innovation - Brazil’s National Monetary Council has approved a credit line of up to $2 billion to finance locally developed agricultural technology and equipment. Managed by Finep and partner financial institutions, the funding will support machinery, precision agriculture systems, rural connectivity and digital solutions produced in Brazil. Farmers, cooperatives and agricultural companies will be eligible, with the program designed to accelerate technology adoption, raise productivity and strengthen the domestic agricultural machinery industry. Source: Brasil 247

Climate Tech

Indigenous Brazil Nut Producers Receive Environmental-Service Payments - Indigenous communities in Rondônia have received an additional 20% payment for Brazil nuts produced during the 2025/26 harvest, recognising their role in conserving forests, biodiversity and local ecosystems. The agreement between Castanhas Ouro Verde and the Coopirb cooperative covers communities across roughly 236,000 hectares and forms part of an Embrapa-led project to improve quality, reduce losses and strengthen market access. About seven tonnes were sold under the model, with the premium managed collectively for community priorities. Source: Embrapa

Portuguese Group Selects Maringá for Brazil’s First Blue-Economy Cluster - Portuguese consultancy Vide de Grunwald has chosen Maringá, Paraná, to host its first blue-economy innovation cluster in Brazil. Developed with the State University of Maringá, the initiative will connect researchers, companies and investors around technologies for more sustainable water use, including aquaculture genetics, biotechnology, AI, veterinary science and waterTech. The cluster will begin by mapping local capabilities before establishing governance and a business-acceleration hub. Maringá was selected partly for the university’s expertise in tilapia genetics, with ambitions to become an international reference for blue-economy innovation. Source: Startups

WRI Calls for Single Traceability Framework for Soy and Beef - WRI Brasil has proposed harmonizing the country’s fragmented deforestation-monitoring and traceability systems into a single framework for soy and beef. The study reviewed 21 protocols, certifications and platforms, finding differences in cutoff dates, indirect-supplier controls and auditing standards that can confuse buyers and investors. Recommendations include integrating databases, simplifying audits, tracing soy back to the farm and accelerating monitoring of indirect cattle suppliers. The goal is to improve credibility, reduce trade risks and align Brazilian supply chains with international requirements. Source: Globo Rural

Brazil Sets National Rules for Native Vegetation Restoration - Brazil has introduced a national system to standardize how native vegetation recovery is monitored across all six biomes. Developed by Ibama, ICMBio, Embrapa and the Brazilian Forest Service, the model assesses ecological outcomes after a minimum four-year period using indicators such as ground cover, native plant density, species diversity and the presence of invasive species. The framework applies to 46 vegetation types and is intended to improve legal certainty, reduce inspection costs and support Brazil’s goal of restoring 12 million hectares by 2030. Source: Embrapa

Funding & M&A

Mantiqueira Returns to the Capital Markets With $30 Million Offering - Egg producer Mantiqueira has filed a public offering for approximately $30 million in agribusiness receivables certificates (CRAs), following a roughly $100 million issue last year. The single-tranche transaction will be backed by a financial CPR issued by the company and led by XP Investimentos. The unsecured deal comes as Mantiqueira accelerates expansion through new higher-value products, a low-carbon soy partnership with Bunge and its acquisition of Hickman’s Egg Ranch in the United States. JBS has shared control of the company since acquiring a 48.5% stake in 2025. Source: AgFeed

Symbiosis Seeks $100 Million to Scale Native-Forest Timber Model - Brazilian forestry company Symbiosis is seeking $100 million in debt and equity from international investors to expand its native-tree planting model in southern Bahia. Backed by Apple and financing from BNDES’ Climate Fund, the company plans to grow from 5,000 hectares to a further 10,000 hectares while combining certified timber, seedlings and carbon credits. A new sawmill will begin processing wood for decking, flooring and furniture, as Symbiosis aims to prove that restoring Atlantic Forest species can become a commercially viable alternative to harvesting natural forests. Source: The AgriBiz

Coamo Expands Through Acquisition of Belagrícola Assets - Coamo has acquired and leased agricultural units in five Paraná municipalities as Belagrícola restructures approximately $440 million in debt. The transaction extends a strategy that has already included the purchase of storage facilities and a seed-processing unit, with leased sites potentially converted into permanent acquisitions once documentation is regularized. Brazil’s largest agricultural cooperative is also investing about $13 million in new grain silos, largely financed by BNDES, to support storage expansion and its corn ethanol operations. Source: AgFeed

Macro & Markets

China Signals More Fertilizer Supply as Brazilian Imports Accelerate - China has indicated it is prepared to increase shipments of phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers to Brazil, responding to concerns over supply disruptions and rising geopolitical tensions. The signal comes as Brazilian ports handle a heavy fertilizer pipeline, with more than 6.1 million tonnes listed for unloading and Santos and Paranaguá accounting for the largest volumes. Brazil still imports more than 80% of the fertilizers it consumes, leaving farm costs and crop planning highly exposed to global trade, logistics and diplomatic relations. Source: Brasil 247 and AF News

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

This week’s Brazil AgTech Report opens with cattle as collateral, with Cowmed completing the first B3-registered loan backed by tokenized cows. John Deere is bringing precision-ag electronics production to Brazil, Embrapa is building the country’s first international microorganism depository, and Ambev is testing AB InBev’s first protein beer.

In Climate Tech, Acelen is combining macaúba and AI to bring down the cost of sustainable aviation fuel. Nearly $6 billion in sustainable agriculture funds is looking for investable projects in Brazil, while B.Kemi is turning agricultural waste into biodegradable cosmetic ingredients.

Funding & M&A brings a busy mix of biotech, soil intelligence and hard assets. Terra Genomics raised $3.6 million, Stenon secured $21 million for expansion in Brazil, Zen-Noh bought 30% of Grupo Cereal, and major deals reshaped port and bioenergy assets.

In Macro & Markets, Brazil is closing in on the US as the world’s largest agricultural exporter, while weaker margins are cooling farmland prices and slowing soy expansion. Brazil has also banned force-fed foie gras, and coffee and beef were left outside the latest US tariff increase.

AgTech

• Cowmed Completes First B3-Registered Loan Backed by Tokenized Cattle

• John Deere to Produce Precision Agriculture Electronics in Brazil

• Embrapa to Host Brazil’s First Depository for Patentable Microorganisms

• Ambev Launches AB InBev’s First Protein Beer in Brazil

• Docket and B3 Partner to Speed Up CPR Registratio

Climate Tech

• Acelen Uses AI and Macaúba to Cut Sustainable Aviation Fuel Costs

• Nearly $6 Billion in Sustainable Agriculture Funds Puts Brazil in the Spotlight

• B.Kemi Turns Agricultural Waste into Award-Winning Cosmetic Ingredients

Funding & M&A

• Terra Genomics Raises $3.6 Million to Engineer Better Biological Inputs

• Stenon Raises $21 Million to Expand Real-Time Soil Analysis in Brazil

• Zen-Noh Acquires 30% of Grupo Cereal

• Simpar Sells Bahia Grain and Fertilizer Port to ICTSI for $360 Million

• Raízen Sells Caarapó Sugar and Ethanol Plant to Adecoagro for $152 Million

Macro & Markets

• Brazil Could Overtake the US as the World’s Largest Agricultural Exporter

• Brazil’s Soy Slowdown Reshapes the Farmland Market

• Brazil Bans Foie Gras Produced Through Force-Feeding

• US Exempts Brazilian Coffee and Beef from New 12.5% Tariff

AgTech

Cowmed Completes First B3-Registered Loan Backed by Tokenized Cattle - Cowmed and Target FIDC completed Brazil’s first formal credit transaction using tokenized dairy cows as collateral, moving about $20,000. Smart collars monitor each animal’s health, behaviour and location, converting the data into a unique digital identity registered with B3. The system allows lenders to value and track herds without physical inspections, reduces the risk of duplicate collateral and could unlock working capital for farmers. Cowmed currently monitors about 100,000 cows across more than 1,000 farms. Source: CNN Brasil

John Deere to Produce Precision Agriculture Electronics in Brazil - John Deere will invest about $15 million to expand its Canoas plant in Rio Grande do Sul and begin producing electronic components for agricultural and construction machinery in July 2027. The new line will manufacture intelligent control modules, high-precision StarFire GPS receivers, monitors and guidance systems for the Brazilian market. The move is intended to reduce dependence on imported components, deepen local technological capabilities and improve supply-chain agility. Source: AgFeed

Embrapa to Host Brazil’s First Depository for Patentable Microorganisms - Embrapa will establish Brazil’s first International Depositary Authority for microorganisms used in biotechnology patent applications. Backed by about $3 million from Finep and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the three-year project will allow companies and researchers to deposit biological samples domestically rather than sending them abroad. Once accredited under the Budapest Treaty, deposits made in Brazil will be recognized across 92 member countries, reducing costs and delays while strengthening protection for bioinputs, microbial pesticides and other biological technologies. Source: Forbes

Ambev Launches AB InBev’s First Protein Beer in Brazil - Ambev will launch Spaten Pro, AB InBev’s first protein beer worldwide, in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in late August. Developed over five years and more than 100 prototypes, the alcohol-free Munich Dunkel contains 10 grams of protein per 350 ml can. The product targets growing demand for high-protein, lower-calorie and alcohol-free beverages, with Brazil serving as the test market before any international rollout. Source: Forbes

Docket and B3 Partner to Speed Up CPR Registration - Docket partnered with Trillia, B3’s data and analytics arm, to create a platform that accelerates CPR issuance and registration while giving lenders better visibility into documentation, collateral and default risk. The companies say the solution can cut total processing time by 50%, with registration falling from 15–20 days to 3–4 days. It covers physical and financial CPRs and integrates with registries and certifiers including ONR, RDT, CDT, B3 and CERC. Source: AgFeed

Climate Tech

Acelen Uses AI and Macaúba to Cut Sustainable Aviation Fuel Costs - Acelen Renováveis is betting that Brazil’s native macaúba palm can make sustainable aviation fuel competitive with fossil kerosene. The company plans a $1.5 billion biorefinery in Bahia capable of producing 1 billion litres of SAF or renewable diesel annually. At its Agripark research centre, AI developed with a local university increased seed germination from 3% to 85%, while automation cut seed-processing time from 40 seconds to one. Acelen aims to plant 144,000 hectares, largely on degraded land, and says macaúba produces ten times more oil per hectare than soy. Source: The AgriBiz

Nearly $6 Billion in Sustainable Agriculture Funds Puts Brazil in the Spotlight - International funds have almost $6 billion available for regenerative agriculture, deforestation-free supply chains, land restoration and other sustainable farming projects, with Brazil emerging as a leading destination. Vehicles include the Green Climate Fund, AGRI3, &Green, Mirova and Brazil’s Growth Next-Generation Agriculture fund. The capital is available, but the bottleneck is investable projects: funders increasingly require reliable data, measurable outcomes, strong governance and standardized indicators before committing. Source: Forbes

B.Kemi Turns Agricultural Waste into Award-Winning Cosmetic Ingredients - Following last week’s story on Kapeh’s coffee-based cosmetics, Espírito Santo startup B.Kemi is also finding beauty in agricultural by-products. The company won the sustainability category at the Clean Beauty Awards with a fully biodegradable exfoliant made from rice husks and banana-derived microcellulose. Its broader aim is to replace imported and petroleum-based cosmetic ingredients with locally produced biomaterials made from Brazilian agricultural waste. Source: Tribuna Online

Funding & M&A

Terra Genomics Raises $3.6 Million to Engineer Better Biological Inputs - Terra Genomics raised $3.6 million in a seed round led by Pitanga Redux, with participation from Bold.t Capital, to build a research platform in Campinas. The startup combines metabolic engineering, synthetic biology and AI to genetically improve microorganisms already used in biological inputs, targeting traits such as nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization and pest control. Terra says its design-build-test-learn process can cut development cycles from two to three years to as little as two months, while also creating stronger patent protection for new products. Source: AgFeed

Stenon Raises $21 Million to Expand Real-Time Soil Analysis in Brazil - German agtech Stenon raised about $21 million in a Series B led by Pymwymic, with backing from the DeepTech & Climate Fonds and existing investors. Brazil is a priority market for the expansion, with the company already operating in Goiás, Mato Grosso, Paraná and São Paulo. Its FarmLab platform combines sensors, AI and agronomic models to measure plant-available nitrogen and soil organic carbon directly in the field. Stenon says customers have reduced nitrogen fertilizer use by 20%–40% while increasing yields by 2%–8%. Source: Startups

Zen-Noh Acquires 30% of Grupo Cereal to Expand in Brazilian Agribusiness - Japanese agricultural cooperative federation Zen-Noh agreed to acquire a 30% stake in Grupo Cereal, a Goiás-based grain origination, storage, soy-processing and biodiesel company with annual revenue above $1 billion. The founding Barauna family will retain control and management. The partnership is expected to support new investment in storage, biodiesel capacity and geographic expansion, while helping connect Brazilian grain production more directly with Asian markets through Zen-Noh’s global network. Financial terms were not disclosed. Source: AgFeed

Simpar Sells Bahia Grain and Fertilizer Port to ICTSI for $360 Million - Simpar agreed to sell CS Porto Aratu to Philippine port operator ICTSI in a transaction valued at about $360 million, including roughly $200 million of net debt. The two terminals connect by rail to the Matopiba agricultural region and handle fertilizers, minerals, soy and corn, with combined annual capacity of up to 9.5 million tonnes following recent upgrades. The deal marks ICTSI’s entry into Brazil’s dry-bulk segment and gives the global operator a strategic export platform in the Northeast. Completion remains subject to regulatory approval. Source: AgFeed

Raízen Sells Caarapó Sugar and Ethanol Plant to Adecoagro for $152 Million - Raízen agreed to sell its Caarapó mill in Mato Grosso do Sul to Adecoagro for about $152 million, including associated sugarcane assets and supplier contracts. The plant produces sugar, hydrated and anhydrous ethanol, and renewable power, and sits near two other Adecoagro units, creating potential operating synergies. The divestment is part of Raízen’s effort to simplify its portfolio and improve returns while undergoing an out-of-court restructuring involving more than $13 billion of debt. The deal remains subject to regulatory approval. Source: Exame

Macro & Markets

Brazil Could Overtake the US as the World’s Largest Agricultural Exporter - Brazil is on track to surpass the US in agricultural export revenues this year, according to a Financial Times analysis. The gap narrowed to just 1.2% in 2025, when US exports reached $171 billion versus Brazil’s $169.2 billion, after standing at 137% in America’s favour two decades earlier. Rising Brazilian competitiveness, stronger Chinese demand and trade tensions affecting US farmers are accelerating the shift, although the US still leads global corn exports. Source: AgFeed

Brazil’s Soy Slowdown Reshapes the Farmland Market - After more than two decades of expansion, Brazil’s soybean area could stop growing in 2026/27 as weaker prices, tight margins, expensive credit and input uncertainty reduce incentives to open new land. Rabobank expects future growth to rely more on productivity and double cropping. The pressure is already reshaping farmland finance: land in Sorriso reportedly fell from about $40,000 per hectare three years ago to $20,000 today, while some producers are accepting sale-and-leaseback deals at even lower values to raise liquidity. Fiagros see the downturn as an opportunity to finance stronger operators and acquire discounted assets. Source: The AgriBiz and Exame

Brazil Bans Foie Gras Produced Through Force-Feeding - Brazil has prohibited the production and sale of foie gras and other products obtained through forced animal feeding, classifying the practice as animal cruelty. Violations can result in fines and prison sentences of three months to one year. Brazil becomes the second country, after India, to impose a nationwide ban, although similar production restrictions already exist in several other countries. The measure affects only a small domestic market, with three Brazilian producers reportedly using the technique. Source: g1

US Exempts Brazilian Coffee and Beef from New 12.5% Tariff - The US excluded Brazilian coffee and beef from a new 12.5% tariff introduced after a Section 301 investigation into Brazilian trade practices. The exemption list also covers planting seeds, selected fertilizer and pesticide inputs, animal-feed ingredients, leather and certain sugar products within existing quotas. The tariff takes effect on July 24, with exceptions for some goods already in transit. Source: Exame

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

This week’s Brazil AgTech news begins with a familiar pleasure: who doesn’t love the smell of freshly brewed coffee? Kapeh is taking that appeal beyond the cup, turning coffee into more than 200 cosmetics and preparing a new café-and-beauty franchise model. AgSafe is using AI to protect bees from crop spraying, Broto and iRancho are bringing offline cattle management to more ranchers, and agricultural robots could help fill the sector’s growing labour gap.

In Climate Tech, Copersucar tests ethanol as a marine fuel, while Energis8 plans a $1.3 billion sustainable aviation fuel plant in São Paulo. A new study warns that ending the Soy Moratorium could add 1.4 million hectares of Amazon deforestation by 2035, while AI Pathology is using mobile AI to help screen rural workers for skin cancer.

Funding & M&A brings a retreat and an expansion. BASF is closing its dedicated Brazilian venture capital operation, while Canopy enters agricultural software through the acquisition of Maxicon, creating a platform for further consolidation across the sector.

In Macro & Markets, foreign capital is moving deeper into Brazil’s fast-growing corn ethanol industry, and the country is set to retain its lead over the US in cotton exports. Brazil is also tightening rules on antimicrobial use in livestock as exporters target more demanding international markets.

AgTech

• Kapeh Brews Coffee into Cosmetics and Franchise Growth

• AgSafe Uses AI to Protect Bees from Crop Spraying

• Broto and iRancho Launch Offline Cattle Management Platform

• Farm Robots Could Ease Agriculture’s Labour Shortage

• Biome4All Launches AI Tool to Screen Soil Microbiology

• Precision Agriculture Could Add $2.2 Billion to Farm GDP

Climate Tech

• Copersucar Tests Ethanol as Marine Fuel in Santos

• Energis8 Plans $1.3 Billion SAF Plant in São Paulo

• Soy Moratorium’s End Could Add 1.4 Million Hectares of Deforestation

• Mobile AI Screens Rural Workers for Skin Cancer

Funding & M&A

• BASF Closes Local CVC Operation in Brazil

• Canopy Enters Ag Software with Maxicon Acquisition

Macro & Markets

• Foreign Capital Expands Brazil’s Corn Ethanol Industry

• Brazil Set to Retain Global Cotton Export Lead

• Brazil Tightens Rules on Antimicrobial Use in Livestock

AgTech

Kapeh Brews Coffee into Cosmetics and Franchise Growth - Coffee may be best known for waking people up, but Kapeh is giving it a second life in the bathroom cabinet. The Minas Gerais company has developed more than 200 coffee-based cosmetics, including exfoliants, body oils and lip treatments, and now sells through more than 300 multibrand outlets and five concept stores and kiosks. Around 5% of production is already exported. Kapeh is now preparing a franchise format combining cosmetics retail with cafés, turning one of Brazil’s best-known crops into a broader beauty and lifestyle brand. read more

AgSafe Uses AI to Protect Bees from Crop Spraying - Florianópolis-based AgSafe has developed an AI-powered platform that coordinates pesticide applications between farmers, spraying contractors and nearby beekeepers. The new platform, called Coex.AI, combines spraying schedules, apiary locations, weather conditions and product information to identify risks and issue advance alerts, allowing beekeepers to temporarily close hives while helping farmers reduce spray drift. Pilot projects in southern Brazil have reportedly improved soybean productivity and honey production, although the company has not disclosed precise gains. Founded in 2020 and currently self-funded, AgSafe is using Brazil as a testing ground before pursuing international expansion. read more

Broto and iRancho Launch Offline Cattle Management Platform - Banco do Brasil’s Broto ecosystem and iRancho have launched Broto Gestão Pecuária, a beef-cattle management system that tracks individual animals and centralizes farm data. Designed to work entirely offline, the platform aims to bring tools previously concentrated among larger operations to a broader range of ranchers. The companies say users can cut herd-management time by half and potentially double farm cash turnover through earlier slaughter, while improving traceability and data-based decision-making. read more

Farm Robots Could Ease Agriculture’s Labour Shortage - Agricultural robotics will become increasingly necessary as farmers age and younger workers avoid the sector, according to China Agricultural University researcher Wen-Hao Su. China is investing in research, specialist training and policies supporting robots for tasks including harvesting, crop monitoring and livestock management. Because equipment remains expensive, Su expects service models—where farmers pay for hours worked rather than buying machines—to accelerate adoption. In Brazil, the challenge will be developing robots that are powerful enough for large farms but light enough to avoid soil compaction, particularly in wetter production regions. read more

Biome4All Launches AI Tool to Screen Soil Microbiology - Biome4All has launched Biostart, an AI-based tool that uses physical and chemical soil data to predict microbiological risks linked to crop nutrition and pathogens. Trained on 14,000 soil samples collected over eight years, the system helps farmers identify priority areas before commissioning a full microbiological analysis, which can cost up to ten times more. After an initial free period, each assessment will cost about $8. The company expects the tool to expand access across farm sizes and increase its customer base from 6,000 to 9,000 producers. read more

Precision Agriculture Could Add $2.2 Billion to Farm GDP - Expanding precision agriculture could add more than $2.2 billion to Brazil’s agricultural GDP and generate over 400,000 jobs, according to Embrapa president Silvia Massruhá. She highlighted AI, connectivity and data analytics as central to improving productivity, strengthening sustainability and preparing farms for climate risks. However, limited digital access across rural Brazil remains a major barrier. The estimate was presented at precision and digital agriculture conferences in Porto Alegre, which drew 845 participants and more than 500 technical papers. read more

Climate Tech

Copersucar Tests Ethanol as Marine Fuel in Santos - Copersucar supplied 635,000 litres of sugarcane ethanol to a CMA CGM container ship in Brazil’s first transoceanic marine trial of the fuel. The ethanol will power part of the vessel’s journey to Sri Lanka and could reduce emissions by around 70% compared with conventional bunker fuel. Wider adoption still depends on new vessels, port infrastructure, international regulation and economics: ships require about 1.6 tonnes of ethanol to replace one tonne of fossil fuel. Copersucar believes scale and carbon credits, currently estimated near $100 each, could eventually narrow the cost gap. read more

Energis8 Plans $1.3 Billion SAF Plant in São Paulo - Brazilian company Energis8 plans to invest $1.3 billion in a sustainable aviation fuel plant in Paulínia, São Paulo, targeting annual production of around one billion litres from 2031. The facility would operate through a toll-processing model, converting ethanol supplied by customers into SAF for a per-litre fee. It would require about 1.7 billion litres of ethanol annually. The company expects the model to reduce exposure to volatile SAF prices and believes renewable aviation fuel costs will eventually approach parity with fossil-based jet fuel. read more

Soy Moratorium’s End Could Add 1.4 Million Hectares of Deforestation - Ending Brazil's Soy Moratorium could increase Amazon deforestation by 1.4 million hectares by 2035 and generate 745 million tonnes of carbon-equivalent emissions, according to a study published in Science. The researchers estimate the agreement prevented 1.8 million hectares of forest loss during its first decade and found no systematic evidence that participating farmers received lower soy prices. Aprosoja disputes the analysis, arguing that recent deforestation alerts have declined and that the moratorium restricted legal production rights. The debate now moves toward Brazil’s Supreme Court, which is reviewing state laws affecting the agreement. read more

Mobile AI Screens Rural Workers for Skin Cancer - AI Pathology’s Nevo tool uses smartphone photos to assess suspicious skin lesions and identify patients who need specialist care. In a seven-month project with Senar Goiás, technicians screened 2,058 rural workers from small and medium-sized farms, leading to 75 confirmed cases that received free treatment. The company says the system identified all urgent lesions requiring referral and achieves up to 93% accuracy in risk screening, although it does not replace medical diagnosis. AI Pathology now plans to expand the program into Brazil’s South, Center-West and Northeast. read more

Funding & M&A

BASF Closes Local CVC Operation in Brazil - BASF Venture Capital has reorganized its $290 million global fund around teams in Germany, China and the US East Coast, ending its dedicated local operation in Brazil. Its South American portfolio will now be managed from Germany, although BASF says it remains an investor in existing companies and funds. Brazilian investments include Traive, Grão Direto and SP Ventures’ AgVentures II. The move reflects a broader retrenchment by corporate venture arms in the region, even as BASF continues investing globally from seed through Series B in sustainability, biotechnology and AI. read more

Canopy Enters Ag Software with Maxicon Acquisition - Brazilian software consolidator Canopy has acquired Maxicon, a Paraná-based platform serving grain originators and logistics operators. Maxicon has more than 7,000 users, processes around 35 million tonnes of grain annually and supports roughly $24 billion in transactions. The acquisition is Canopy’s third overall and its first in agriculture, following a $100 million fundraising to build software platforms through M&A. Canopy plans to use Maxicon as a base for further consolidation across farming, livestock, logistics and agro-industrial software, while Maxicon’s founders remain in the business. read more

Macro & Markets

Foreign Capital Expands Brazil’s Corn Ethanol Industry - Foreign investors are moving into Brazil’s fast-growing corn ethanol sector, attracted by abundant second-crop corn, year-round processing and multiple revenue streams from ethanol, DDGS, corn oil, electricity and biomethane. Paraguay’s Inpasa, US-backed FS and Cargill, and the UAE’s Mubadala-backed Atvos have already committed capital, while BP is assessing potential projects linked to its sugarcane assets. Brazilian corn ethanol output has risen to nearly 10 billion litres from 2.65 billion at the start of the decade. Chinese companies remain largely on the sidelines, despite opportunities in equipment, financing, joint ventures and integrated biorefineries. read more

Brazil Set to Retain Global Cotton Export Lead - Brazil is expected to remain the world’s largest cotton exporter in 2026/27, with shipments projected at 3.2 million tonnes, according to the USDA. Production was revised up to 3.9 million tonnes, still below the record 4.08 million tonnes expected for 2025/26, while ending stocks were cut to 742,000 tonnes as more fibre heads overseas. The US is forecast to produce 3 million tonnes and export 2.7 million tonnes. Global consumption is expected to remain above production, keeping the market relatively tight. read more

Brazil Tightens Rules on Antimicrobial Use in Livestock - Brazil has banned five antimicrobials from being manufactured, imported, sold or used as growth promoters in animal feed, aligning its livestock regulations more closely with international efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance. The new rules cover avoparcin, bacitracin, zinc bacitracin, bacitracin methylene disalicylate and virginiamycin, with existing registrations to be cancelled after a transition period. The measure could help Brazilian meat exporters preserve access to higher-value markets such as the EU, UK and Japan, where food safety and responsible antimicrobial use are becoming increasingly important trade requirements. read more

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

This week’s Brazil AgTech Report looks at how AI and digital tools are moving into practical operations. Embrapa has developed a molecular fingerprint to authenticate meat, Belo Monte will use AI to monitor fish in the Xingu river and Oracle is helping AI startups reach large corporate clients.

Climate Tech brings a more circular and biological angle. Better Beef is turning sweet potatoes into ethanol and cattle feed, Biotrop is using AI to accelerate biological discovery, Petrovina has launched a carbon-neutral soybean seed, and BrasilAgro is betting on irrigation to raise farmland value.

In Funding & M&A news, InLida raised $200,000 to expand its digital cattle management platform, Limber and Infogen are combining their AgTech businesses, Grupo Aroeira secured financing for a new cereals ethanol plant and Inpasa is seeking $200 million for expansion.

In Macro & Markets, Stine is targeting second place in Brazil’s soybean seed market, ETG plans its first fertilizer plant in the country, and the government is considering cheaper rural credit for farmers who buy crop insurance.

AgTech

• Embrapa Creates Molecular Fingerprint for Meat

• Belo Monte to Use AI for Fish Monitoring

• Oracle Launches AI Startup Growth Program

Climate Tech

• Better Beef Turns Sweet Potatoes into Feed and Fuel

• Biotrop Uses AI to Accelerate Biological Discovery

• Petrovina Launches Carbon-Neutral Soybean Seed

• BrasilAgro Bets on Irrigation to Raise Land Value

Funding & M&A

• InLida Raises $200,000 to Expand Digital Cattle Platform

• Limber and Infogen Merge to Build Ag Platform

• Grupo Aroeira Secures Financing for Ethanol Plant

• Inpasa Seeks $200 Million for Expansion

Macro & Markets

• Stine Targets Second Place in Soybean Seeds

• ETG to Build Fertilizer Plant in Tocantins

• Credit Discount Could Boost Rural Insurance

AgTech

Embrapa Develops 20-Minute Molecular “Fingerprint” to Authenticate Meat - Embrapa and university researchers have developed a mass-spectrometry method that identifies whether meat comes from cattle, pigs, chickens or tilapia in about 20 minutes. The protein-based molecular fingerprint can also distinguish Nelore from Angus beef and works after freezing or frying. The expandable database could support premium-meat certification, biological traceability, sanitary inspections and fraud detection, offering regulators and exporters a faster alternative to genetic testing. read more

Belo Monte to Use AI for Real-Time Fish Monitoring in the Xingu River - Hydroelectric plant, Belo Monte, will deploy an AI-powered computer vision system from April 2027 to identify and count fish passing through its fish transposition system. Developed with Instituto Atlântico, the model is expected to classify migratory and Amazonian species with more than 90% accuracy, replacing a labor-intensive process currently handled frame by frame by a six-person team. The roughly $1.4 million project could eventually be adapted for other Brazilian dams, improving environmental reporting and monitoring of hydroelectric impacts on aquatic biodiversity. read more

Oracle Launches Program to Help AI Startups Reach Corporate Clients - Oracle has launched the Startup Growth Engine in Latin America to help scaling B2B AI startups overcome one of their biggest barriers: access to large corporate customers. The program offers technical and business mentoring, up to $60,000 in Oracle Cloud credits, visibility at company events and potential access to Oracle’s marketplace and customer ecosystem. Startups must already have active clients and demonstrated growth potential, with benefits unlocked as their relationship with Oracle develops. read more

Climate Tech

Better Beef Turns Sweet Potatoes into Feed and Fuel - The Better Beef feedlot is developing a circular production model that converts off-spec sweet potatoes into ethanol, high-protein cattle feed and, eventually, biomethane for its own fleet and industrial operations. The project is expected to process about 36,000 tons of sweet potatoes annually, producing 15 million liters of alcohol and around 7,000 tons of cattle feed. The company says the initiative reduces waste, creates a new market for regional farmers and strengthens cost control across its vertically integrated beef business. read more

Biotrop Uses AI to Accelerate Biological Discovery - Brazilian biotech company, Biotrop, has integrated a proprietary AI system into its soil metagenomics platform, drawing on years of tropical soil data to identify microbial patterns, generate hypotheses and accelerate the development of new biological products. The company is also applying AI across technical, regulatory, legal and administrative processes. Biotrop says one internal tool saved 350 employee hours in a month and delivered a return 15 times its cost, freeing specialists to focus on research, innovation and higher-value decisions. read more

Petrovina Launches Carbon-Neutral Soybean Seed - Mato Grosso seed company Petrovina has launched what it says is Brazil’s first carbon-neutral soybean seed, following three years of investment in sustainability practices, emissions measurement and carbon offsetting. The product will be sold through its premium Prime and Prime Tech lines without a price premium, while the company targets 20%–25% of total sales within three years. Petrovina sold 1.3 million bags last season and says its earlier RTRS certification investments paid back in three years through annual credit revenues of roughly $180,000–$200,000. read more

BrasilAgro Bets on Irrigation to Raise Land Value - BrasilAgro is investing in irrigation at its 11,700-hectare Arrojadinho farm in Bahia to test whether higher productivity can unlock a new model for land appreciation. The company plans to irrigate 4,200 hectares, with 2,900 hectares already operating and completion expected in 2027. Management estimates the investment at about $5,000 per hectare and sees potential to raise land values from roughly 200 to as much as 1,000 bags of soybeans per hectare. By enabling two annual crops, including a soybean-cotton rotation, the project could achieve payback in five to six years. read more

Funding & M&A

InLida Raises $200,000 to Expand Digital Cattle Platform - Piracicaba-based InLida has raised more than $200,000 since its founding, with backing from cattle producers Bernhard Kiep and Marcos Ermírio de Moraes. The startup’s herd-management platform has registered more than 30,000 farms, 300,000 animals and 90,000 inseminations. Its new subscription-based version targets small and midsized cattle producers, with plans starting at about $6 per month and offline field data capture. Around 10% of registered farms have migrated to the upgraded platform, which adds reproductive indicators, calving forecasts and herd analytics. read more

Limber and Infogen Merge to Build Larger Ag Platform - Limber Software has merged with Santa Catarina-based Infogen Informática, creating one of Brazil’s largest technology verticals focused on agribusiness. Operating as Infogen by Limber, the combined business serves more than 400 clients and 12,000 active users across companies generating around $25 billion in annual revenue. Infogen founder Ernani Zottis will continue leading the ag division, which includes AI-enabled tools for grain storage, livestock monitoring, logistics, farm relationships and industrial operations. read more

Grupo Aroeira Secures Financing for Cereals Ethanol Plant - Grupo Aroeira will build a cereals ethanol plant in Tupaciguara after securing $124 million in BNDES financing. Operated by Biomil Etanol, the unit is expected to begin production in 2028 and process 330,000 tons of corn and sorghum annually, producing 146 million liters of ethanol and around 92,000 tons of DDGS for animal feed. The project expands Aroeira’s existing sugarcane, ethanol, sugar and energy complex in the Triângulo Mineiro. read more

Inpasa Seeks $200 Million for Expansion - Inpasa is seeking about $200 million through debentures to finance expansion and improve its capital structure as it pushes deeper into Brazil’s corn ethanol market. The company points to its $320 million Sinop expansion, which doubled the plant’s capacity, as backing for the raise. New units in Rio Verde and Rondonópolis are also under development and are expected to lift Inpasa’s total production capacity by 50% to 8.6 billion liters annually by 2027. read more

Macro & Markets

Stine Targets Second Place in Brazil’s Soybean Seed Market - US seed company Stine is expanding into southern Brazil as it seeks to become the country’s second-largest soybean seed brand by 2030. After separating its Brazilian operation from the rest of Latin America, the company is adding commercial partners and now works with more than 40 multipliers nationwide, including 14 in the South. Stine says its market share has risen from near zero three years ago to about 6% for the 2026/27 season. read more

ETG to Build Fertilizer Plant in Tocantins - Global fertilizer company ETG will install its first Brazilian industrial plant at VLI’s logistics complex in Palmeirante, Tocantins. The $5 million unit will have annual production capacity of 200,000 tons and storage for 45,000 tons, with operations expected to begin in February 2027. Imported inputs will arrive through the Port of Itaqui and travel by rail to Tocantins, strengthening the fertilizer corridor serving Matopiba. read more

Credit Discount Could Boost Rural Insurance - Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry plans to propose lower rural credit rates for producers who buy crop insurance, with a discount of up to one percentage point on controlled credit lines under the 2026/27 Plano Safra. The goal is to expand protection ahead of an expected El Niño period, but the initiative faces budget constraints after rural insurance subsidies were cut from an initial roughly $200 million to just over $100 million. The ministry is also considering linking insurance coverage to access to subsidized credit, although that would require legal changes. read more

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

This week’s Brazil AgTech Report looks at how Amazon researchers are using genomics to accelerate açaí breeding, while TIM pushes its rural connectivity strategy toward ag data intelligence. Carbon Exchange and GreenBug are combining sensors and bioacoustics for real-time fire detection, and Brazil’s House approved longer protection for plant cultivars.

In Climate Tech, Uberaba is set to receive a new biomethane plant that will turn sugarcane residues into renewable gas. Brazil also regulated payments for environmental services, but limited what farmers can be paid for under the federal program. Volvo and Potencial Agro are expanding B100 biodiesel trucking, while China’s new soy sustainability guide accepts Brazilian environmental law as the core standard.

In Funding & M&A, Suzano closed its $1.3 billion Kimberly-Clark tissue JV acquisition, giving it control of a new consumer-facing platform. DeepAgro raised $3 million to expand AI-powered selective spraying in Brazil, Grupo Zanchetta acquired Ceratti, and Biotrop reached $1.3 million in first-year US sales.

In Macro & Markets, Goiás announced a $60 million applied AI hub, reinforcing the race to build local AI infrastructure. Brazilian meatpackers are cutting slaughter as China’s beef quota nears its limit, most Latin American VCs now use AI to analyze investments, and Sicredi plans $14.4 billion in rural credit for the 2026/27 crop season.

AgTech

• Amazon Researchers Sequence Açaí Genome

• TIM Shifts From 4G Coverage to Ag Data Intelligence

• Carbon Exchange and GreenBug Target Real-Time Fire Detection

• Brazilian House Approves Longer Protection for Plant Cultivars

Climate Tech

• Uberaba Biomethane Plant to Turn Sugarcane Waste Into Renewable Gas

• Brazil Limits Agro Eligibility in Environmental Services Payments

• Volvo and Potencial Agro Expand Biodiesel Truck Fleet

• China Accepts Brazilian Environmental Law as Soy Sustainability Standard

Funding & M&A

• Suzano Closes $1.3 Billion Kimberly-Clark Tissue JV Acquisition

• DeepAgro Raises $3 Million to Expand Selective Spraying in Brazil

• Grupo Zanchetta Acquires Ceratti to Expand Processed Meat Portfolio

• Biotrop Reaches $1.3 Million in First-Year US Sales

Macro & Markets

• Goiás to Invest $60 Million in Applied AI Hub

• Brazilian Meatpackers Cut Slaughter as China Beef Quota Nears Limit

• Most Latin American VCs Now Use AI to Analyze Investments

• Sicredi Plans $14.4 Billion in Rural Credit for 2026/27 Crop Season

AgTech

Amazon Researchers Sequence Açaí Genome - Researchers from UFPA and Embrapa Amazônia Oriental sequenced the açaí genome for the first time, creating a tool to accelerate genetic improvement of one of Brazil’s most important bioeconomy crops. The work can help identify genes linked to productivity, anthocyanin content, fruit color and disease resistance, reducing the time needed to select desirable traits. The research may also support new biotech routes for producing natural colorants, antioxidants and other molecules of interest for the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, while advancing Embrapa’s long-running effort to adapt açaí for cultivation on non-flooded land. Read more

TIM Shifts From 4G Coverage to Ag Data Intelligence - TIM Brasil is moving into the next phase of its agribusiness strategy after connecting 27.3 million hectares with rural 4G and more than 54 million hectares with NB-IoT. The operator says growth will now come less from coverage expansion and more from turning farm data into services for AI, cloud computing, automation and operational management. Its B2B portfolio totals about $200 million in contracts, with clients including BP Bioenergy, SLC Agrícola, Jalles, Citrosuco, Amaggi and Adecoagro. The recent acquisition of V8.Tech strengthens its push into data integration, analytics and AI. Read more

Carbon Exchange and GreenBug Target Real-Time Fire Detection - Carbon Exchange and GreenBug are developing hardware to monitor fires in real time by combining environmental sensors with bioacoustic detection. Carbon Exchange’s device tracks variables such as pressure, humidity, temperature and smoke, while GreenBug adds sound monitoring capable of identifying human presence, vehicles, chainsaws, gunshots and other activity even in areas without internet or power. Field tests are planned for September, with the product expected to be available in 2027. Carbon Exchange is also raising at least $1 million to help build a factory in Belém. Read more

Brazilian House Approves Longer Protection for Plant Cultivars - Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies approved a bill extending cultivar protection from 15 to 25 years for grapevines, fruit trees, forest trees, ornamental plants, rootstocks and sugarcane, while keeping the 15-year term for annual crops such as soy, corn, beans and rice. The proposal aims to align Brazil more closely with international plant variety protection standards and improve legal certainty for long-cycle breeding investments. Supporters say the change is especially relevant for planted forests and sugarcane, where new varieties can take many years to develop and commercialize. The bill now returns to the Senate. Read more

Climate Tech

Uberaba Biomethane Plant to Turn Sugarcane Waste Into Renewable Gas - Gasmig and Geomit signed a contract to build a biomethane plant in Uberaba that will produce 50,000 cubic meters per day of renewable fuel from sugarcane residues supplied by Companhia Mineira de Açúcar e Álcool. The project is expected to begin commercial operations in May 2028 and will supply industries and fleets in Uberaba, Uberlândia, Indianópolis and Araxá. Gasmig plans to invest about $200 million in 400 kilometers of new gas pipelines, helping replace fossil fuels such as diesel, fuel oil and LPG across the Triângulo Mineiro. Read more

Brazil Limits Agro Eligibility in Environmental Services Payments - Brazil regulated its National Policy for Payments for Environmental Services five years after the law was approved, creating clearer rules for contracts, payers, beneficiaries and eligible activities. The decree allows payments for conservation, restoration, agroforestry, sustainable management, water protection and recycling, and recognizes technologies such as remote sensing for MRV. But the federal program will not pay farmers for preserving areas already protected under the Forest Code, such as Legal Reserves and APPs, limiting payments to legally deforestable native vegetation kept standing. The market is still waiting for a national PSA registry and tax incentives. Read more

Volvo and Potencial Agro Expand Biodiesel Truck Fleet - Volvo delivered five more FH B100 Flex trucks to Potencial Agro, bringing the Paraná-based company’s fleet of 100% biodiesel-capable vehicles to 43 units. Potencial plans to invest about $1.2 billion by 2030 in biodiesel, corn ethanol and biomethane, targeting 1.7 billion liters of biodiesel, 500 million liters of corn ethanol, 1 billion liters of ethanol and 9 million cubic meters of biogas. Volvo says it has sold 300 FH B100 trucks since 2024 and sees faster adoption depending on ANP rules for biodiesel distribution and incentives for B100 freight decarbonization. Read more

China Accepts Brazilian Environmental Law as Soy Sustainability Standard - China’s food import chamber released a sustainable soy supply-chain guide for Brazil that recognizes Brazilian environmental law as the main benchmark for assessing legality and sustainability. Earlier drafts had proposed stricter rules, including zero-deforestation criteria and references to the Soy Moratorium, but those were removed after pressure from Brazilian producer groups, including Aprosoja MT. The guide now cites instruments such as the CAR and deforestation authorizations, and highlights Aprosoja MT’s Soja Legal program as a case study. Aprosoja MT plans to sign an agreement in Beijing to operationalize a traceability program. Read more

Funding & M&A

Suzano Closes $1.3 Billion Kimberly-Clark Tissue JV Acquisition - Suzano completed the acquisition of 51% of FampPro Tissue Holdings from Kimberly-Clark for $1.3 billion, giving the pulp and paper company control of the joint venture, which will now be renamed Arbex. The initial capital structure includes about $1 billion in net debt linked to the transaction financing. Suzano and Kimberly-Clark also signed governance, management and operating agreements, along with transition-service and licensing contracts to support continuity after closing. The deal had been announced in June 2025 and updated in May 2026. Read more

DeepAgro Raises $3 Million to Expand Selective Spraying in Brazil - Argentina’s DeepAgro is raising $3 million in a pre-Series A round led by a large Brazilian fund to scale its AI-powered selective spraying technology in Brazil. The startup validated its SprAI system with Amaggi, where tests across more than 22,000 hectares of soy and cotton delivered an average 71% reduction in herbicide use. DeepAgro is also testing with Adecoagro in sugarcane, negotiating a machinery partnership and targeting the BR-163 corridor in Mato Grosso as a key growth region. The company says its system can be adapted to sprayers of any brand or year. Read more

Grupo Zanchetta Acquires Ceratti to Expand Processed Meat Portfolio - Grupo Zanchetta acquired Ceratti, the 90-year-old cold cuts and processed meats company previously controlled by Hormel Foods since 2017. The deal gives Zanchetta a stronger position in pork-based processed products and expands its consumer-facing portfolio beyond its existing brands Alliz, Mondelli and Frangoeste. Ceratti will keep its industrial unit in Vinhedo, São Paulo, and both companies will continue operating independently until the transaction is approved by Cade. The acquisition value was not disclosed. Read more

Biotrop Reaches $1.3 Million in First-Year US Sales - Biotrop reached $1.3 million in US sales during its first year in the market, as the Brazilian biologicals company expands into the world’s largest agricultural inputs market. The Biofirst-owned company is offering biofungicides, bionematicides and soil conditioners for crops including soy, corn, wheat, cotton and peanuts. Biotrop has opened a research unit in Gainesville with the University of Florida, is building a local field team and has begun registering 14 biological products in the US. In 2025, the company ran 185 field trials in North America and is carrying out more than 170 experiments this year. Read more

Macro & Markets

Goiás to Invest $60 Million in Applied AI Hub - Goiás will invest about $60 million over five years to create an AI and Innovation District in Goiânia and expand the Federal University of Goiás’ AI Excellence Center. The district will cover 91 hectares and aims to attract companies, research centers and startups through incentives, including lower ISS taxes and direct subsidies. Of the total, about $16 million will go to the CEIA, including around $8 million for Nvidia GPUs. The strategy focuses on applied AI, model adaptation, SLMs, autonomous mobility, public-sector solutions and startup acceleration. Read more

Brazilian Meatpackers Cut Slaughter as China Beef Quota Nears Limit - Brazilian meatpackers are reducing slaughter and granting collective vacations as China’s annual tariff-rate quota for Brazilian beef approaches its 1.106 million-ton limit. Companies including Frigol, Better Beef, Iguatemi Beef and Plena Alimentos are suspending or cutting production, with Chinese buyers expected to return only in October for shipments that would count toward the 2027 quota. Brazil had filled 65.4% of the quota by late June, and volumes above the limit face a sharply higher tariff. The slowdown highlights the sector’s exposure to China despite efforts to redirect supply to the US, Middle East, UK and domestic market. Read more

Most Latin American VCs Now Use AI to Analyze Investments - More than 90% of Latin American venture capital firms now use AI to analyze deals, according to Hi Ventures’ State of AI Latin America 2026 report, up from 45% two years ago. The survey of 54 managers found AI is being used for market research, competitive intelligence, portfolio monitoring, financial modeling, LP communications, contract review and compliance. Startups with AI at the core are also becoming a priority, with 61% of funds saying more than 60% of their investments over the past year had AI at the center. The report also highlights rapid adoption of AI agents across portfolios. Read more

Sicredi Plans $14.4 Billion in Rural Credit for 2026/27 Crop Season - Sicredi plans to provide $14.4 billion in rural credit during the 2026/27 crop season, up 4.4% from the previous cycle, across about 340,000 operations. The cooperative expects to allocate $5.5 billion to working capital, $3.1 billion to investment, $400 million to commercialization and industrialization, $3.6 billion through CPRs and $1.8 billion through dollar-linked credit lines. Sicredi is also watching rising rural delinquency and says growth will depend on portfolio quality, with more cautious lending and greater use of insurance, consórcios and diversified funding. Read more

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

This week’s Brazil AgTech Report looks at grain markets moving after hours, as Grão Direto and ADM test 24-hour trading. Brazil’s new regional radar shows the country dominates Latin American agtech, Pyka turns Brazil into its main market for autonomous agricultural aircraft, and the AI race highlights agriculture’s data gap.

In Climate Tech, Viter expands from agricultural limestone into foliar nutrition and biologicals, while Danone links dairy productivity to ESG, protein growth and regenerative agriculture. Biotrop pushes Brazilian biologicals into the U.S. market, Petrobras advances renewable fuels, Komet studies water droplets to improve irrigation efficiency, and biomass cogeneration faces Brazil’s first curtailment test.

Funding & M&A brings another active week for farmland, credit and corporate deleveraging. SLC Agrícola moves to secure Radar farmland in Mato Grosso, JiveMauá raises a new Fiagro for ag credit, Cosan weighs further asset sales, and rural insurance budgets tighten again despite the need for broader climate risk protection.

In Macro & Markets, Mato Grosso gains new rail capacity to move more grain toward Santos, Brazil’s soy area expansion slows to its weakest pace in 20 years, and the country’s beef export quota to China moves close to saturation.

AgTech

• Grão Direto opens 24-hour grain trading with ADM pilot

• Brazil leads Latin America with 78% of regional agtech startups

• Pyka makes Brazil its main market for autonomous agricultural aircraft

• AI adoption in agriculture exposes the field data gap

Climate Tech

• Viter expands from agricultural limestone into foliar nutrition and biologicals

• Danone ties dairy to ESG, protein growth and regenerative agriculture

• Biotrop targets U.S. growth in biological inputs from Brazilian base

• Brazil’s first biomass curtailment raises concerns for sugarcane cogeneration mills

• Petrobras approves $1.2 billion renewable aviation fuel and diesel plant

• Komet opens irrigation efficiency lab to reduce water losses in Brazil

Funding & M&A

• Rural insurance budget cut again despite push to expand coverage

• SLC Agrícola buys Radar farmland in Mato Grosso for about $370 million

• JiveMauá raises first Fiagro to expand private credit for agribusiness

• Cosan weighs further asset sales after Radar deal

Macro & Markets

• Mato Grosso rail link expands grain logistics corridor to Santos

• Brazil soy expansion slows to smallest annual increase in 20 years

• China beef quota nears saturation as Brazil exports accelerate

AgTech

Grão Direto Opens 24-Hour Grain Trading - Grão Direto and ADM have tested a new Mercado 24h feature that lets farmers and traders close grain deals outside traditional market hours, including at night and early morning. In less than three months, the pilot moved 55,000 tons of soy and corn, enough to fill a grain vessel, with more than 100 trades completed. The feature complements Grão Direto’s AI assistant AIrton, reducing timing friction in a market still heavily shaped by manual processes and limited trading windows. Read more

Brazil Leads Latin America in AgTech Startups - Brazil accounts for 2,075 of the 2,653 agtech startups identified in the new Radar Agtech Latin America and Caribbean study, representing 78% of the regional total. The report, an extension of Embrapa’s Brazilian mapping effort, shows Brazil far ahead of Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay, supported by its stronger research, university and innovation infrastructure. Most startups operate “inside the farm gate,” with systems integration, data platforms, fertilizers, inoculants, plant nutrition, drones, machinery and equipment among the largest categories. Read more

Pyka Makes Brazil Its Main Autonomous Aircraft Market - Pyka is expanding rapidly in Brazil as large agribusiness groups adopt its autonomous Pelican aircraft for aerial spraying. The company now has 12 aircraft operating in the country and expects to reach 22 to 25 by year-end, with clients including SLC Agrícola, Amaggi, Natter Agro, ACP Bioenergia and Terra Agro. Brazil already represents 80% of Pyka’s agricultural aircraft market, helped by demand for night spraying, labor efficiency and regulation that has moved faster than in the United States. Read more

AI Push Exposes Agriculture’s Data Gap - Agriculture’s AI adoption still depends on a less glamorous foundation: clean, connected and usable field data. At SP Ventures’ Harvesting Innovation event, Grão Direto CEO Alexandre Borges warned that digitizing bad processes only scales mistakes, while GoFlux CEO Rodrigo Gonçalves said offline freight negotiations still disappear from the digital data layer. Both argued that AI in ag will require hands-on client work, better process design and a mix of off-the-shelf and proprietary models, especially where local rules and strategic data matter. Read more

Climate Tech

Viter Expands Into Foliar Nutrition - Viter, the agribusiness unit of Votorantim Cimentos, is moving beyond agricultural limestone into foliar nutrition, fertilizers and future biological products. The company has invested about $60 million between 2020 and 2026 to expand capacity and broaden its portfolio, including new foliar products launched in May. Viter says limestone demand remains stable despite tighter farm margins, with sales up 13% in 2025, but sees faster growth ahead in “mixtures” that combine calcium, magnesium, sulfur and other nutrients. Read more

Danone Ties Dairy Productivity to ESG and Protein Growth - Danone is making Brazilian dairy a core part of its 2030 strategy, linking demand for protein and functional nutrition with regenerative agriculture and decarbonization targets. More than 60% of the milk used in Brazil already comes from farms using regenerative practices, while its Jornada Flora program works with suppliers on emissions reduction, animal welfare, productivity and access to credit. The company says intensification, not herd expansion, is the goal, with supported farms reaching close to 24 liters per cow per day versus a national average of around six. Read more

Biotrop Targets U.S. Biologicals Growth - Biotrop is expanding in the United States after its first year of commercial operations generated just over $1 million in sales and presence across 23 states. The Brazilian biological inputs company, controlled by Belgium’s Biofirst, says early traction is measured less by revenue and more by product trials, repeat purchases and distributor relationships in regions including the Corn Belt and the southern peanut belt. Biotrop aims to reach $160 million in U.S. revenue by 2034, supported by university partnerships, local R&D and future plans for U.S. production. Read more

Brazil’s First Biomass Curtailment Raises Concerns - Brazil’s energy operator ONS ordered its first-ever curtailment of type 3 plants, including sugarcane biomass cogeneration units, cutting 1 GW of generation for four hours on June 7. The impact on sugar and ethanol production was limited, but mills warned that biomass cuts are more complex than solar or wind curtailment because bagasse also generates steam used in industrial operations. Tereos said it adapted without relevant losses, while sector groups fear repeated curtailments could disrupt milling schedules and reduce revenue from power exports. Read more

Petrobras Approves $1.2 Billion Renewable Fuels Plant - Petrobras has approved a $1.2 billion investment to build a renewable aviation fuel and renewable diesel plant at its Presidente Bernardes refinery in Cubatão, São Paulo. The unit is expected to start operations in 2030, with capacity to produce up to 15,000 barrels per day of renewable fuels. The project was already included in Petrobras’ 2026–2030 strategic plan and now moves into the final contracting phase, adding another large-scale signal that Brazil’s biofuels platform is expanding beyond ethanol and biodiesel. Read more

Komet Opens Irrigation Efficiency Lab in Brazil - Komet Irrigation has opened a $400,000 research lab in Brazil to study how water droplets behave between leaving a sprinkler and reaching the soil. The goal is to improve irrigation efficiency by measuring evaporation, wind drift, droplet size, water distribution and equipment wear over time. Brazil accounts for about 23% of Komet’s global revenue and has around 40,000 center pivots in operation, creating a large modernization opportunity as the company develops sensors to turn sprinklers into real-time data sources for irrigation management. Read more

Funding & M&A

Rural Insurance Budget Cut Again - Brazil’s rural insurance subsidy program lost another roughly $11 million after the federal government shifted funds to another Agriculture Ministry initiative. The move reduces the 2026 budget for the program to about $95 million, down from around $106 million after an earlier fiscal freeze and below the roughly $116 million executed in 2025. The cut comes as policymakers are also discussing ways to expand insurance adoption, highlighting the tension between broader climate risk protection and shrinking public subsidy capacity. Read more

SLC Agrícola Buys Radar Farmland in Mato Grosso - SLC Agrícola has exercised its right of first refusal to buy 41,200 hectares of farmland in Mato Grosso from Radar, the rural land company controlled by Cosan and Nuveen, for about $370 million. The properties had been under negotiation with Grupo Bom Futuro, but SLC already leased 17,600 hectares of the area and moved quickly to secure the full “Mato Grosso Block.” The deal marks a strategic shift from SLC’s recent asset-light leasing model, suggesting the land was too important to let go. Read more

JiveMauá Raises First Fiagro for Private Agribusiness Credit - JiveMauá has raised about $83 million for its first Fiagro, JMAG, focused on private credit for agribusiness. The fund is already half allocated, with deals typically starting at about $5 million, averaging three and a half years and costing borrowers around CDI + 5% per year. To attract producers and investors, JMAG offers two years of principal grace and a senior/subordinated structure, meaning the manager absorbs first losses before retail investors in the senior tranche, which raised about $70 million. Read more

Cosan Weighs Further Asset Sales After Radar Deal - Cosan is continuing its deleveraging strategy after the sale of Radar farmland assets in Mato Grosso, with SLC Agrícola’s purchase covered separately in this edition. The transaction is expected to generate about $117 million for Cosan’s holding company, while the broader Radar portfolio sold for about $370 million. Cosan may still pursue additional divestments, including stakes in Rumo and Compass, although after Compass’ IPO the company said there are no current talks or studies involving another Compass stake sale. Read more

Macro & Markets

Mato Grosso Rail Link Expands Grain Logistics - Rumo has started operations on the first 162 km stretch of Mato Grosso’s state railway, linking Rondonópolis to Dom Aquino and bringing rail closer to key grain-producing regions. The new BR-070 terminal is expected to handle up to 10 million tons of grain per year at full capacity, strengthening the corridor to the Port of Santos and reducing reliance on long-distance trucking. Future phases would extend the line to Nova Mutum, Lucas do Rio Verde and Cuiabá, although licensing is still pending. Read more

Soy Expansion Slows to 20-Year Low - Brazil’s soybean area is expected to grow just 0.9% in 2026/27, reaching a record 49 million hectares but marking the smallest annual expansion in 20 years, according to AgRural. The slowdown reflects tighter margins, high production costs, rising debt, expensive credit and caution over El Niño, which could delay planting in some states. The forecast suggests Brazil’s soy frontier is still expanding, but the era of easy area growth is getting harder to finance. Read more

China Beef Quota Nears Saturation - Brazil’s beef export quota to China could reach 94.5% by the end of June, according to Terra Investimentos, leaving only about 60,000 tons available under the annual limit. China set a 1.106 million-ton quota for Brazilian beef in 2026, and volumes already cleared, shipped or in the logistics pipeline are expected to bring the total committed volume to about 1.045 million tons. The quota could be exhausted at Brazilian ports by mid-July, potentially triggering additional tariffs and affecting Chinese buying decisions in the months ahead. Read more

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

This week’s Brazil AgTech Report sees Justoken bringing tokenized agro and energy derivatives outside traditional exchange infrastructure, drone use expanding quickly in the field, Phibro pushing custom vaccines to reduce antibiotic use, and ClickHouse bringing real-time AI database technology to Brazil.

In Climate Tech, Nestlé expands regenerative coffee sourcing, Petrobras, Bunge and Vibra certify deforestation-free soy to supply aviation fuel, Brazilian corn ethanol gets a low carbon score from the International Maritime Organization, and Mato Grosso eases its timeline for phasing out native biomass.

Funding and M&A sees Möbius buying its first farm through a Fiagro, Imaflora planning a cattle traceability Fiagro in Pará, FS announcing a new corn ethanol plant in Mato Grosso, Daabon beginning operations after acquiring Agropalma, and BTG increasing its exposure to Eucatex preferred shares.

Macro and markets focuses on land, logistics and infrastructure. SLC Agrícola’s farmland portfolio slows as the land market cools, Bom Futuro offers to buy Radar farmland, and the USDA warns that logistics bottlenecks could become the main limit to Brazilian agribusiness growth.

Table of Contents

AgTech

• Justoken Looks to Tokenize Agro and Energy Derivatives

• Drone Use in Brazilian Agriculture Jumps Tenfold

• Phibro Expands Custom Vaccines to Reduce Antibiotic Use

• ClickHouse Brings AI Database Platform to Brazil

Climate Tech

• Nestlé Expands Regenerative Coffee Sourcing in Brazil

• Certified Deforestation-Free Soy to Supply Aviation Fuel

• IMO Sets Low Carbon Score for Brazilian Corn Ethanol

• Mato Grosso Eases Timeline for Native Biomass Phaseout

Funding & M&A

• Möbius Buys First Farm Through Fiagro as Agro AUM Nears $200M

• Imaflora Plans Fiagro to Support Cattle Traceability in Pará

• FS Announces $400M Corn Ethanol Plant in Mato Grosso

• Daabon Begins Brazil Operations After Agropalma Acquisition

• BTG Increases Exposure to Eucatex Preferred Shares

Macro & Markets

• SLC Farmland Portfolio Slows as Land Market Cools

• Bom Futuro Offers $370M for Radar Farmland

• USDA Says Brazil Ag Logistics Bottlenecks Cost $14B

AgTech

Justoken Looks to Tokenize Agro and Energy Derivatives - Justoken and Vox Capital say tokenization could move more agro and energy derivatives into private markets outside traditional exchange infrastructure. Justoken, which began with tokenized soy, corn and wheat assets, is expanding into renewables, thermal energy, gas and oil, arguing that digital assets can simplify credit, traceability and trading of physical assets that are hard to commercialize or use as collateral. The company also sees barter, which represents around 40% of Brazilian agribusiness transactions, as a major opportunity for digitization. Read more

Drone Use in Brazilian Agriculture Jumps Tenfold - Drone use in Brazilian agriculture jumped from 3,000 to 25,000 units between 2021 and 2024, driven by lower input use, better field coverage and reduced crop losses. Embrapa says drones can help avoid crop crushing from tractors, saving up to 7% in soybeans and 4% in rice. The technology is also being used in soil quality research, while operators must follow rules from Mapa, Decea and other agencies covering spraying, training, registration and airspace access. Read more

Phibro Expands Custom Vaccines to Reduce Antibiotic Use - Phibro Saúde Animal is expanding its focus on alternatives to antimicrobials, including autogenous vaccines tailored to the specific pathogens found on each farm. The company says revenue from these customized vaccines nearly tripled last year, mainly in fish and swine, while its broader monogastrics business grew 13% in 2025. The strategy reflects rising pressure to reduce antibiotic use in animal protein supply chains and a shift toward more preventive tools, including vaccines, nutritional additives and immunomodulators. Read more

ClickHouse Brings AI Database Platform to Brazil - ClickHouse, a deeptech company valued at more than $15 billion, is entering Brazil with a focus on banks, fintechs and financial institutions that need to process large volumes of data in real time. Its analytics database platform supports AI-driven use cases such as credit, antifraud, risk management and transaction monitoring, processing billions of records in seconds. ClickHouse says AI agents can replace parts of traditional BI workflows, moving companies from static dashboards to continuous decision-making. The company operates in 24 countries and counts Meta, Netflix, Nvidia, Microsoft and Anthropic among its clients. Read more

Climate Tech

Nestlé Expands Regenerative Coffee Sourcing in Brazil - Nestlé says 53% of the green coffee bought for Nescafé now comes from farms adopting regenerative agriculture practices, up from 32% in 2024. Its Nescafé Plan reached 100,000 farmers in 15 countries last year, including more than 3,800 farms in Brazil, with practices such as pruning, agroforestry, cover crops, biological inputs and intercropping. The company aims to source all raw material from certified suppliers by 2030 and cut industrial emissions by 50% versus 2018. Read more

Certified Deforestation-Free Soy to Supply Aviation Fuel - Petrobras, Bunge and Vibra have certified the first global batch of sustainable aviation fuel made with soy grown in areas without recent deforestation. The pilot will supply 4 million liters of co-processed aviation kerosene at Rio’s Galeão airport, with 1% from certified soy oil crushed by Bunge in Rondonópolis. The certification shows emissions 70% below fossil kerosene, versus only 30% under default data, and Petrobras says refinery certifications could allow it to meet Brazil’s SAF demand by 2029. Read more

IMO Sets Low Carbon Score for Brazilian Corn Ethanol - The International Maritime Organization has set the default carbon intensity of Brazilian corn ethanol at 20.8 grams of CO2e per megajoule, far below the current maritime fuel average of 93.3 grams. Industry executives say the decision could help position Brazil’s second-crop corn ethanol as a future low-carbon fuel for shipping. Production has expanded sharply, nearing 10 billion liters in 2025/26, up from 2.65 billion at the start of the decade, with producers also investing in biomass and carbon capture. Read more

Mato Grosso Eases Timeline for Native Biomass Phaseout - Mato Grosso has eased the timetable for phasing out native biomass in large industrial users, including corn ethanol plants. A revised environmental agreement allows up to 40% native biomass use until 2034, with zero use required from 2035, replacing an earlier phase-down that would have started in 2031. The change follows industry pushback over feasibility, but keeps pressure on ethanol producers to expand planted forests, with demand expected to require forest area to grow from about 200,000 to 700,000 hectares by 2040. Read more

Funding & M&A

Möbius Buys First Farm Through Fiagro as Agro AUM Nears $200M - Möbius Capital has made its first direct farmland acquisition, buying a 5,500-hectare property in Mato Grosso through a new Fiagro structure. The manager, founded by former Credit Suisse executives, is nearing $200 million in AUM, with about 40% already tied to agribusiness. The strategy is to buy underdeveloped or degraded land, invest in infrastructure and sell after two or three years, using proprietary software to screen farms across land, environmental, logistics, climate and geomorphological factors. Read more

Imaflora Plans Fiagro to Support Cattle Traceability in Pará - Imaflora is planning a Fiagro to support cattle tagging in Pará, aiming to raise between $2 million and $10 million to finance inputs at better rates for producers who join the state’s traceability program. The idea is to use rural retailers and distributors as intermediaries, making compliance more attractive for small and mid-sized ranchers. The fund would link environmental conditions directly to credit, supporting Pará’s goal of identifying its entire cattle herd by 2030 and expanding certified, deforestation-free beef supply. Read more

FS Announces $400M Corn Ethanol Plant in Mato Grosso - FS will invest about $400 million to build its fifth corn ethanol plant, in Querência, Mato Grosso, with operations expected to begin in July 2027. The new unit will be able to process 1.3 million tons of corn and produce 580 million liters of ethanol per year. The announcement follows a recent $100 million credit line for another FS plant in Campo Novo do Parecis, reinforcing the company’s expansion in Brazil’s fast-growing second-crop corn ethanol industry. Read more

Daabon Begins Brazil Operations After Agropalma Acquisition - Colombian group Daabon has officially started operating in Pará after completing the acquisition of 100% of Agropalma’s Brazilian palm oil operations. The deal includes Agropalma’s plantation and forest reserve areas, six extraction plants in Tailândia and a refinery in Belém, while the Limeira refinery remains outside the transaction. Daabon, known for organic food production and integrated supply chains, says it will maintain traceability, zero-deforestation commitments and community programs, while opening a new investment cycle in Pará. Read more

BTG Increases Exposure to Eucatex Preferred Shares - BTG Pactual now indirectly holds almost 49.95% of Eucatex’s preferred shares through Econômico Agro Pastoril, which reduced its stake in the company’s non-voting shares. Eucatex is one of Brazil’s traditional producers of building materials, flooring and wood-based products. The notice says BTG owns 100% of Econômico Agro Pastoril indirectly, but there was no change in BTG’s holding of Eucatex ordinary shares, meaning the move affects economic exposure rather than voting control. Read more

Macro & Markets

SLC Farmland Portfolio Slows as Land Market Cools - SLC Agrícola’s farmland portfolio was valued at about $2.7 billion in 2026, but the average value of its arable hectares rose just 1%, far below the company’s 20-year average appreciation of 12.7% per year. The slowdown reflects weaker soy and corn prices and a more cautious rural land market. SLC is now looking to create value less through land appreciation and more through expansion, partnerships and irrigation, with plans to grow irrigated area from 19,000 to 58,000 hectares. Read more

Bom Futuro Offers $370M for Radar Farmland - Bom Futuro has offered about $370 million for 41,200 hectares owned by Radar, the Cosan-Nuveen farmland joint venture, in another sign of strong appetite for prime Mato Grosso land. The deal still depends on SLC Agrícola, which leases around 60% of the area and has a 30-day right of first refusal. For Cosan, the sale would support its deleveraging strategy and could bring in almost $120 million in cash, while SLC must decide whether to defend strategic land access. Read more

USDA Says Brazil Ag Logistics Bottlenecks Cost $14B - A USDA report says logistics bottlenecks could become the main constraint on Brazilian agribusiness growth through 2034, with storage, roads, ports, railways and waterways struggling to keep pace with production. The report estimates these limitations cost about $14 billion in 2025, while logistics already represent around 30% of farm production costs. Grain storage covers only 60–70% of national output, the deficit is especially severe in the Center-West and Matopiba, and licensing delays continue to slow new terminals. Read more

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

This week’s Brazil AgTech Report starts with practical farm-level innovation. iRancho is using voice AI to make cattle management easier in the field, researchers in Paraná are preparing a hull-free pumpkin seed, Dux is tackling ammonia buildup in poultry houses, and VivaTerra is building a new agtech venture platform.

In Climate Tech, a group of Brazilian biologicals companies will take the country’s bioinputs model to California, Embrapa has added more Brazilian seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, and a new tropical soil carbon model could unlock carbon credits in agriculture. At the same time, the government is pushing back against proposed changes to the Forest Code.

In Funding and M&A news, Leaf raised a $13 million Series B to expand its farm data infrastructure, Polato Sementes completed a dollar-linked financing structure and Amaggi raised $700 million in financing through the capital markets.

On the Macro & Markets side, Brazil’s protein trade keeps breaking records, but pressure is building in dairy. The federal government blocked nearly half of the rural insurance subsidy budget, while a possible strong El Niño is creating mixed signals for different markets.

And while Brazil and Morocco played out a 1-1 draw in their opening World Cup game over the weekend, trade between the two countries has never been stronger, with food exports flowing one way and fertilizer imports the other.

Table of Contents

AgTech

• iRancho Bets on Voice AI

• Hull-Free Pumpkin Seeds Near Market

• Dux Targets Ammonia in Poultry

• VivaTerra Builds MS AgTech Hub

Climate Tech

• Brazil Takes Biologicals Model to California

• Brazil Seeds Stored in Svalbard

• Brazil Builds Tropical Carbon Model

• Government Fights Forest Code Changes

Funding & M&A

• Leaf Raises $13M Series B

• Polato Raises Dollar-Linked CPR

• Amaggi Raises $700M CPR

Macro & Markets

• Protein and Dairy Trade Pressures

• Rural Insurance Budget Cut

• El Niño Splits Commodity Outlook

• Brazil-Morocco Trade Deepens

AgTech

iRancho Bets on Voice AI - iRancho, a cattle management and animal traceability startup, expects revenue to reach $2 million in 2026 after closing 2025 at $1.3 million, driven by growing demand for livestock digitization. The company says its new AI tool, which allows farm workers to record information by voice directly in the field, including in areas without internet access, is helping accelerate adoption and sales. iRancho also operates SafeBeef, a blockchain-based traceability platform, and is developing new tools for natural language processing, automation and real-time data analysis. Read more

Hull-Free Pumpkin Seeds Near Market - Researchers at the State University of Ponta Grossa have developed a hull-free pumpkin seed with commercial potential, after two decades of genetic crossing based on seed material originally obtained through a partnership with Austrian researchers. The seed is ready to eat without shelling, has a pleasant flavor, germinates in soil and contains higher levels of cucurbitacin, a compound associated with vermifuge properties. The team is finalizing laboratory tests before seeking registration with Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry, with potential uses in food, oil extraction and smallholder production. Read more

Dux Targets Ammonia in Poultry - Green chemistry company Dux Grupo is targeting a potential $400 million opportunity in Brazil’s poultry industry with Amonix, a biodegradable product designed to reduce ammonia formation in chicken houses. In tests in Brazil and Peru, the product generated average gains of 60 grams per bird, while reducing ammonia levels and improving shed conditions. High ammonia can affect bird health, feed and water consumption, immunity and weight gain. Dux, already present in animal protein chains with clients including JBS, MBRF and Aurora, plans to add real-time environmental monitoring to the solution. Read more

VivaTerra Builds MS AgTech Hub - VivaTerra Ventures is racing to raise $30 million in six months for a new fund and ecosystem designed to back early-stage agtech startups in Mato Grosso do Sul. Inspired by California’s Reservoir model, the initiative combines venture capital with AgroValley MS, a local platform for testing, validating and incubating technologies with producers, universities and research partners. The first incubated startups include Carbon Vantage, focused on soil carbon credit measurement, and Kerow, which applies imaging and biometrics to livestock traceability and disease detection. Read more

Climate Tech

Brazil Takes Biologicals Model to California - Brazilian bioinput companies, researchers and industry groups will present the country’s experience with biological products at the Salinas Biological Summit 2026, held on June 23 and 24 in California. The delegation includes Ideelab, Grupo Vigna Brasil, Lallemand, ANPII Bio and Esalq/USP, with panels on research, regulation, adoption and commercialization. Organizers say Brazil has become a global reference in biologicals thanks to regulatory progress, stronger links between science and industry and rising farmer adoption. The event should also expand cooperation between Brazilian and US organizations in bioinput research and innovation. Read more

Brazil Seeds Stored in Svalbard - Brazil has delivered 24 new seed samples to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, bringing Embrapa’s total deposits there to 8,149 samples since 2012. The latest shipment includes cashew, fava bean, peanut, castor bean and sesame seeds, stored at -18°C inside the Arctic mountain facility as a backup for Brazil’s agricultural biodiversity. Embrapa president Silvia Massruhá personally delivered the samples, highlighting the vault’s role in protecting genetic resources from climate risk, conflict and institutional failure. Brazil first joined the vault with rice and corn samples. Read more

Brazil Builds Tropical Carbon Model - Embrapa is finalizing ProCarbon-Soil, a new model designed in Brazil to estimate soil carbon dynamics in tropical farming systems and support agricultural carbon credit projects. Developed with Bayer, the tool uses Brazilian agricultural data, 4,290 soil samples and information from 370 scientific studies, aiming to simplify monitoring by focusing on total carbon stock and decomposition. Researchers say Procs performed similarly to Century in 50-year simulations, while reducing uncertainty versus direct field measurements. The next step is formal validation, including submission to Verra, a leading voluntary carbon market certifier. Read more

Government Fights Forest Code Changes - Brazil’s environment minister João Paulo Capobianco said the government will use legal tools to block changes to the Forest Code approved by the lower house in May. The bill still needs Senate approval and presidential sanction, but Capobianco said the government will seek a Senate rejection, a presidential veto or, if needed, a Supreme Court challenge. He argues the proposal weakens protections for the Pantanal, Cerrado, Pampas, parts of the Amazon and high-altitude Atlantic Forest areas by allowing vegetation removal in certain rural areas without prior authorization or compensation. Read more

Funding & M&A

Leaf Raises $13M Series B - Leaf Agriculture raised a $13 million Series B co-led by Leaps by Bayer and strategic industry investors to expand its farm data infrastructure for AI-driven agribusiness. Founded in 2021, Leaf connects, cleans and structures farmer-owned data from machinery, soil labs, weather stations, satellites and farm management systems, helping insurers, retailers, input companies and compliance platforms build tools on top of fragmented agricultural data. The company says it processes data covering more than 20% of global crop acres annually and helps partners support faster insurance payouts, field-specific recommendations and sustainability programs. Read more

Polato Raises Dollar-Linked CPR - Polato Sementes raised R$137 million through Brazil’s first public offering of a financial CPR linked to exchange-rate variation, giving the Mato Grosso seed company access to capital in reais while aligning the instrument with dollar-driven commodity markets. The raise follows a R$100 million investment in a new seed-processing unit in Pedra Preta, designed to double annual production capacity to 1 million bags. Founded in 1981, Polato produces soybean, cotton and sorghum seeds and says the funds will support growth, governance upgrades and more sophisticated agribusiness financing. Read more

Amaggi Raises $700M CPR - Agropecuária Maggi, part of the Amaggi group, issued its first financial CPR, raising R$3.54 billion through a single-series, book-entry operation distributed exclusively to professional investors. The instrument pays 100% of the DI rate plus a 1.08% annual spread, with semiannual payments and debt amortization over ten years from 2031 to 2036. Proceeds will be used for working capital, investments and support for the company’s own agricultural production. The CPR is backed by soybean and cotton volumes, with Itaú acting as settlement bank and bookrunner. Read more

Macro & Markets

Protein and Dairy Trade Pressures - Brazil’s poultry and pork exports hit record levels in May, with chicken exports topping US$1 billion and pork shipments reaching 129,400 tons and US$302.1 million. China, Japan, the EU and Saudi Arabia led chicken demand, while the Philippines remained the top pork buyer and Japan increased purchases sharply. At the same time, dairy imports reached the equivalent of 220 million liters in May, taking year-to-date purchases above 1 billion liters for the first time, as Brazil weighs antidumping tariffs on milk powder from Argentina and Uruguay. Read more on protein exports and dairy imports

Rural Insurance Budget Cut - Brazil’s federal government has blocked R$461.7 million from the Rural Insurance Premium Subsidy Program, almost half of the R$999.1 million allocated to MAPA for agricultural protection in 2026. The rural insurance line accounts for 45.7% of the ministry’s total budget freeze, part of a wider R$788.4 million cut that also affects agricultural development, technology research and Embrapa-related programs. The cut comes in an El Niño year and affects a program designed to help producers pay for policies covering losses from droughts, floods, frost and storms. Read more

El Niño Splits Commodity Outlook - A possible very strong El Niño could put 30% of global agricultural production at risk, but recent reports from Cogo Inteligência and Bradesco BBI suggest the impact will vary sharply by crop and region. Soybean and sugarcane may see modest productivity gains in Brazil, while corn faces risks if rains delay second-crop planting in the Center-West. Coffee appears more exposed, with high risk for arabica in Minas Gerais and robusta in Bahia and Rondônia. Bradesco BBI sees limited price impact overall, while Cogo is more bullish on sugar. Read more

Brazil-Morocco Trade Deepens - Brazil and Morocco moved US$2.8 billion in trade in 2025, with agriculture central to the relationship. Brazilian exports to Morocco totaled US$1.4 billion, led by sugar and molasses, which represented 58.1% of sales, alongside corn, live animals, coffee, fruit and spices. Imports reached a similar level, but were heavily concentrated in chemical fertilizers, which accounted for 84.8% of Brazilian purchases from Morocco. Trade has continued growing in 2026, with Brazilian exports up 9.6% through May and imports up 34.4%, reinforcing Morocco’s role as both food buyer and fertilizer supplier. Read more

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.

In Brazil AgTech news this week, automation and data move further into the field. Tevel’s fruit-harvesting robots are being tested in Brazilian citrus farms, ID-Scan brings cattle biometrics to Brazil, and researchers are using AI and satellites to forecast soybean productivity. A new Abstartups and USP study shows a more mature AgTech ecosystem, but one still facing a clear funding gap.

In Climate Tech developments, productivity and sustainability are increasingly linked. Embrapa found that native mandaguari bees can boost arabica coffee production, while Be8’s first large-scale wheat ethanol plant could create a new market for winter cereals in Rio Grande do Sul. FGV Agro also mapped a path for Brazil to cut beef emissions intensity by more than 90% by 2050.

On the funding front, AgroForte is scaling credit for the animal protein chain, Trag raised capital to expand AI-driven parametric insurance, and erural secured funding to build a one-stop cattle marketplace. BNDES also expanded access for individual farmers and rural entrepreneurs to existing credit lines for innovation, automation, AI, connectivity and farm software.

In Macro & Markets, Brazil’s Supreme Court upheld restrictions on rural land purchases by foreign-controlled companies, while the EU formalized new limits on Brazilian animal-origin exports from September 2026. In strategic minerals, the U.S. government will take a stake in USA Rare Earth, the company acquiring Serra Verde.

Table of Contents

AgTech

• Orange Robots Enter Brazil

• Cattle Biometrics Reach Brazil

• AI Forecasts Soy Productivity

• AgTech Study Shows Funding Gap

Climate Tech

• Native Bees Boost Coffee Yields

• Wheat Ethanol Opens Market

• Brazil Maps Low-Carbon Beef Path

Funding & M&A

• AgroForte Pushes Protein Credit

• Trag Raises for Climate Risk AI

• erural Raises for Cattle Marketplace

• BNDES Opens Credit for Farm Tech

Macro & Markets

• STF Upholds Foreign Land Limits

• EU Restricts Brazil Animal Exports

• US Takes Stake in Rare Earth Miner

AgTech

Orange Robots Enter Brazil Israeli startup Tevel’s autonomous fruit-harvesting robots are being tested in large Brazilian orange farms after being imported by Dal Tecnologia. The drone-like robots fly through orchards while connected by cable to a mobile ground base, using cameras, sensors and software to identify fruit by size, color and maturity before picking them with suction arms. A full system has six drones and can operate 24/7, with each drone harvesting one fruit every 12 seconds. The technology is already used commercially in Europe, especially for apples, and in Brazil is being positioned first for oranges, with potential future use in guava, pear and peach. read more

Cattle Biometrics Reach Brazil South African cattle biometrics technology ID-Scan is entering Brazil through DX Data Experience, with a focus on traceability, security and herd governance. The platform uses smartphone video to capture each animal’s muzzle print, creating a permanent digital identity linked to biometric data and herd information. The system can work offline during field capture and later sync data when connectivity is available, making it relevant for farms with limited internet coverage. DX says the technology could support origin verification, insurance, breeder associations, cooperatives, meatpackers and rural credit by creating a more reliable way to individualize cattle and use herd data in financial operations. read more

AI Forecasts Soy Productivity Brazilian researchers developed an AI-based model that combines Sentinel-2 satellite images, climate variables and historical IBGE data to estimate soybean productivity before harvest. The study, conducted by Esalq/USP and partners, analyzed municipalities in Goiás, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul across the 2019/20 to 2021/22 seasons. The model reached 72% accuracy, with an average error below 302 kilograms per hectare, and performed best around 150 days after planting, during the grain-filling stage. Researchers say the approach could support public policy, regional planning and future monitoring tools, although farm-level data gaps still limit precision for individual properties. read more

AgTech Study Shows Funding Gap A new study by Abstartups and the University of São Paulo mapped 170 Brazilian agtechs and found a more mature but still underfunded ecosystem. Around 32.9% of the startups have been operating for more than five years, while only 10% have reached the scale-up stage. SaaS leads as the main business model, used by 39.2% of companies, and 50.6% operate in B2B markets. The ecosystem remains concentrated, with São Paulo home to 38.8% of mapped startups, followed by Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais. Access to capital remains the main constraint, with 52.4% of agtechs never having received investment. read more

Climate Tech

Native Bees Boost Coffee Yields A new Embrapa study found that managed colonies of mandaguari, a native stingless bee, can increase arabica coffee fruit production by up to 67% on branches located near the colonies. Researchers installed around ten colonies per hectare before flowering and compared productivity on nearby and more distant branches, linking the gains to pollinator activity. The study found that the approach worked even in self-compatible coffee cultivars and that pesticide use, when applied according to technical recommendations, did not generate measurable harm to the colonies. The findings point to managed pollination as a nature-based strategy to raise coffee productivity without expanding planted area. read more

Wheat Ethanol Opens Market Brazil’s first large-scale wheat ethanol plant is under construction in Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, creating a new market for winter cereals in the state. The Be8 project will have capacity to process 525,000 tons of grain per year and could supply around 23% of Rio Grande do Sul’s ethanol demand, reducing dependence on imports from other regions. The plant is expected to create additional demand for wheat, triticale and other winter crops, while also producing coproducts such as DDGS, wet bran and vital gluten for animal feed and food industries. The project could connect agriculture, livestock and biofuels in a new regional value chain. read more

Brazil Maps Low-Carbon Beef Path A new study by FGV Agro, launched by ApexBrasil and Abiec at FAO headquarters in Rome, says Brazil could reduce the carbon intensity of beef production by more than 90% by 2050 under ambitious mitigation scenarios. The report highlights productivity gains already achieved: between 2004 and 2024, national beef production rose more than 240% while pasture area fell 11%, creating what researchers call a “land-sparing effect.” Under the most ambitious scenario, technologies such as integrated crop-livestock-forest systems and pasture recovery could cut emissions intensity to 5 kg of CO2 equivalent per kilo of beef, while stabilizing production and reducing required pasture area by more than 35%. read more

Funding & M&A

AgroForte Pushes Protein Credit AgroForte, a Yield Lab Latam portfolio company, reached about US$200 million in credit originated for Brazil’s animal protein sector and now aims to originate another US$200 million by the end of 2026. Founded around poultry and pork financing, the company has expanded into dairy and beef cattle after acquiring Rumicash, which added more than 20 dairy partners and access to roughly 20,000 additional producers. AgroForte now originates around US$6 million per month, with tickets ranging from about US$10,000 to US$400,000. Its main fund is expected to reach US$53 million to US$57 million in net worth by year-end, while the Paraná Fiagro, an agribusiness investment fund, could drive over US$110 million in additional disbursements. read more

Trag Raises for Climate Risk AI Parametric insurance startup Trag raised about US$500,000 in a round led by DOMO.VC, extending its 2024 raise and taking total funding to roughly US$1 million. The company uses satellite data, climate indicators and proprietary AI models to structure parametric insurance products for agribusiness, where payouts are triggered automatically when predefined climate conditions are met. Trag now operates across eight Brazilian states and eight crops, with insured value rising 47% in recent months to about US$15 million and more than 300,000 hectares analyzed. The startup plans to expand beyond insurance into a broader climate intelligence platform for producers, cooperatives, insurers and financial institutions. read more

erural Raises for Cattle Marketplace Brazilian livestock marketplace erural raised about US$1 million from Lighthouse and SP Ventures to accelerate investments in technology, AI, credit and logistics. Founded by Matheus Ladeia nearly a decade ago, the company has shifted from supporting traditional cattle auctions to concentrating transactions inside its own platform. It has already moved about US$58 million in animal transactions, including more than US$19 million in 2026, and its “one-stop-shop” model now represents around 60% of deals. erural is focused on beef cattle genetics today, but plans to expand into dairy genetics, breeding, rearing, fattening, inputs, services and financial solutions. read more

BNDES Opens Credit for Farm Tech Brazilian individual farmers and rural entrepreneurs will now be able to access existing BNDES credit lines for innovation, digitalization and technological modernization. The measure, approved by Brazil’s National Monetary Council, does not create new credit lines, but expands eligibility for programs such as BNDES Mais Inovação, BNDES Finame and Finame Baixo Carbono. Eligible investments include digitalization, automation, artificial intelligence, rural connectivity, precision agriculture, drones, sensors, traceability, telemetry, remote monitoring and farm management software. The change could increase demand for machinery, equipment, AgTech solutions and digital infrastructure across farming, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture. read more

Macro & Markets

STF Upholds Foreign Land Limits Brazil’s Supreme Court unanimously upheld the restrictive regime for the acquisition and lease of rural land by foreigners and Brazilian companies controlled by foreign capital. The ruling confirmed the constitutionality of Law No. 5,709/1971, meaning companies with majority foreign ownership continue to be treated like foreign legal entities for rural land transactions. The decision also invalidated a São Paulo registry opinion that had allowed different treatment in that state, creating a uniform national interpretation. For foreign investors, agribusiness companies and funds with international capital, planned or previously structured rural land deals may now require closer legal review. read more

EU Restricts Brazil Animal Exports The European Union formalized Brazil’s removal from the list of countries authorized to export certain animal-origin products to the bloc, including beef, poultry, fish, honey, casings and other products. The measure takes effect on September 3, 2026, and is linked to EU rules on antimicrobial use in livestock, rather than a specific contamination or sanitary incident. Brazil was the only country removed from the list, while Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay remain authorized, reducing the political impact on the EU-Mercosur agreement. In 2025, Brazil exported US$32.3 billion in animal-origin products, of which US$1.6 billion went to the EU. read more

US Takes Stake in Rare Earth Miner USA Rare Earth signed a US$1.6 billion financing package with the U.S. Department of Commerce, giving the U.S. government an equity stake in the Nasdaq-listed company that agreed to acquire Brazil’s Serra Verde. The Goiás-based miner is described as the only operation outside Asia extracting, at commercial scale, four of the most sought-after rare earth elements. The package includes US$277 million in grants, US$1.3 billion in federally guaranteed loans and warrants for additional shares. The deal reflects Washington’s push to reduce dependence on China for minerals critical to AI, energy transition technologies and defense systems. read more

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading,

KFG

Kieran Finbar Gartlan is an Irish native with over 30 years of experience living and working in Brazil. He is Managing Partner at The Yield Lab Latam, a leading venture capital firm investing in Agrifood and Climate Tech startups across Latin America.