The Brazilian federal government has established a crisis response committee to ensure that the raw materials needed for the production of phosphate fertilizers during the 2026/27 crop season can be supplied. Brazilian diplomats have held consultations with the country’s major fertilizer suppliers – Russia, China and Morocco – and are willing to purchase at market prices to ensure the supply.
In 2025, the total consumption of fertilizers in Brazil was 491 million tons, of which the import volume reached 455 million tons. The total import value was 14.5 billion US dollars, accounting for 92% of the domestic demand. In 2024, this dependency rate reached 97%. According to the Brazilian Association of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA), for the next planting season, only 40% to 45% of the required fertilizers have been purchased.
The Brazilian Fertilizer Raw Materials Association (Sinprifert) and the National Fertilizer Association (Anda) have warned the government about the shortage of key raw materials such as phosphate fertilizers and sulfur, sulfuric acid, etc. Brazil relies almost entirely on imports for its sulfur consumption, and the supply difficulties have led some processing plants to reduce production or even shut down.
In international negotiations, this government is assessing the available production capacity of suppliers and is considering signing a memorandum of understanding to ensure the availability of supplies in case of emergencies.
In the first four months of 2026, the volume of fertilizers imported through Paranaguá Port decreased by nearly 45% compared to the same period last year. This decline reflects the logistical difficulties caused by the war in the Middle East and the squeeze on importers’ profit margins due to high interest rates.
China is in discussions with Brazil on tariff issues. Experts believe that reaching an agreement with the Chinese side is the most promising alternative solution.
Due to the possibility that the El Niño phenomenon may intensify, the demand for fertilizers is expected to rise, but the financial difficulties faced by farmers may limit their purchase volume.
CNA pointed out that Brazil’s reliance on imported fertilizers indicates that despite the continuous growth in domestic demand, domestic production has stagnated.
From 2015 to 2025, the delivery volume of fertilizers in Brazil increased by 63%, while the import volume rose by 130%. The domestic production remained basically stable, fluctuating between 7.2 million and 9.1 million tons.
In 2025, the top five fertilizer suppliers to Brazil were China, Russia, Canada, Morocco and Egypt. These five countries collectively accounted for 69% of the total imports.
When classified by the type of fertilizer, Brazil’s dependence on imported fertilizers is particularly significant. For potassium fertilizers, it is as high as 98%; for nitrogen fertilizers, it is 93%; and for phosphate fertilizers, it is 57%. Potassium fertilizers are regarded as the country’s weak point because of their high import dependence and large consumption volume.
Brazil has phosphorite reserves in the Minas Gerais and Goiás states. In 2024, EuroChem Company’s Serra do Salitre mining and industrial complex was put into operation, with an annual production capacity of 1 million tons of phosphate fertilizer.
Nevertheless, the industry suffered a severe blow in 2026. Due to the global sulfur crisis – where the price of sulfur rose by over 1,100% – Mosaic permanently closed its factories in Araxá and Patrocínio, and temporarily suspended operations in Tapira and Catalão.
The sharp increase in sulfur prices mainly reflects the imbalance between supply and demand, logistics problems, the decline in production of major suppliers, as well as the growing demand in the electric vehicle battery industry and the industrial sector in Asia.
Post time: Jul-09-2026
