Petrobras resumes fertilizer production in Bahia, targets 35 percent of national demand
Sao Paulo, May 16
Brazil's state-run energy giant Petrobras has resumed fertilizer production at the Bahia Fertilizer Plant in Camacari, marking a major step in the country's effort to reduce dependence on imported nitrogen fertilizers.
According to Brasil 247, the restart of urea production was officially highlighted during a visit by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Petrobras President Magda Chambriard and senior officials on Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference in Salvador, Chambriard said the reopening forms part of Petrobras' 2026-2030 strategic plan focused on strengthening domestic fertiliser production and expanding the use of natural gas in industrial operations.
The Bahia unit, inactive since 2019, had briefly operated under a private lease before shutting down again in 2023. Chambriard said the revival of the facility demonstrates Petrobras' commitment to rebuilding Brazil's fertilizer sector. She noted that lower natural gas costs and long-term industrial investments made the restart economically feasible, as reported by Brasil 247.
Petrobras invested nearly Brazilian Real (BRL) 100 million in reactivating the plant, generating an estimated 3,600 direct and indirect jobs. The facility is currently producing around 1,300 tons of urea daily, enough to meet roughly 5 percent of Brazil's nitrogen fertilizer demand.
According to Petrobras, urea produced at the plant will support key agricultural sectors including corn, sugarcane, coffee, wheat and cotton farming, along with livestock feed production.
Chambriard said Petrobras is also reviving other fertilizer projects, including Fafen Sergipe, Fafen Ansa and the Nitrogen Fertilizer Unit 3 in Mato Grosso do Sul. With all four facilities expected to be operational by 2028, Petrobras aims to supply nearly 35 percent of Brazil's domestic nitrogen fertilizer demand, reducing the country's reliance on imports.
The company also announced broader investments in Bahia's energy sector, including USD 3.5 billion for oil and gas exploration projects over the next five years and additional investments in biodiesel production initiatives expected to create thousands of jobs.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting to see Lula personally visiting the plant. Shows political will behind this project. But I wonder about the environmental impact—urea production uses a lot of natural gas. Hope they have proper emission controls in place. Also, 35% of national demand by 2028 seems ambitious; let's see if they can execute.
This is exactly what India needs to do. We have so much natural gas from our own fields and from imports, yet our fertilizer plants are underutilized. The Namrup revival in Assam is a good example, but we need many more such projects. Brazil is showing the way for developing nations to achieve self-sufficiency in food inputs. Kudos!
While I appreciate the move towards self-reliance, I hope the environmental costs are being properly accounted for. Urea plants are notorious for greenhouse gas emissions. Also, I'd like to see more investment in organic fertilizers and bio-fertilizers as alternatives. Just producing more urea isn't a complete solution for sustainable agriculture.
100 million reais for reactivation is quite reasonable. And 3,600 jobs is nothing to sneeze at. India's fertilizer sector has been plagued by mismanagement and corruption—we should study how Brazil is making this work. The key seems to be lower natural gas costs and a clear strategic vision. Our government should take notes.
Brazil and India share many similarities—large agrarian economies, dependence on fertilizer imports, and rising domestic demand. If Brazil can achieve 35% self-sufficiency by 2028, India should aim for at least 50% by 203
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.