AGCO 35 years: trajectory and sustainable revolution of Brazilian agriculture

In 2025, AGCO, a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision agriculture technology, celebrates 35 years of history. Present in more than 170 countries, the company has established itself as a global player in the development of machinery and technologies aimed at agribusiness. In Brazil, its operations are directly related to the evolution that the sector has experienced in recent decades.

From 1990 to the present day, Brazilian agriculture has seen a major leap in productivity and technology. Grain production in Brazil has grown by almost 500%, while the cultivated area has increased by only 2,2% per year. Soybeans, for example, have jumped from 1,5 tons per hectare to more than 4 tons per hectare, an increase of 173%, according to the Embrapa study “Vision 2030: The Future of Brazilian Agriculture”.

Furthermore, according to data from the National Supply Company (Conab), the country has consolidated the cultivation of three crops per year, with around 30 million hectares in continuous planting systems and has assumed global leadership in exports of products such as soybeans, beef and chicken.

This growth was mainly due to initiatives such as genetic improvement of seeds, which are more productive and resistant to pests and adverse weather conditions, and the adoption of sustainable practices, such as direct planting, which contributed to soil preservation and more efficient use of natural resources. Precision agriculture technologies, such as sensors and GPS, combined with data analysis, also enabled more efficient and personalized crop management.

AGCO has been present in each of these transformations. With a portfolio that includes its brands Fendt, Massey Ferguson, Valtra and PTx, the company has driven agricultural transformation. Its solutions have helped to mechanize, digitalize and make the agricultural production process more sustainable in Brazil and around the world. From the introduction of tractors with autopilot to the development of planters with sensors and intelligent productivity controls, AGCO has anticipated trends and responded to the needs of rural producers of all profiles and regions.

Sustainability has become one of the central pillars of AGCO's strategy, which has set ambitious goals for decarbonization, traceability, regenerative agriculture, high-yield organic farming, animal welfare, soil health and employee safety. Its technologies are increasingly focused on low-impact production, with an emphasis on solutions that contribute to soil carbon sequestration, efficient use of fertilizers and the advancement of digital agriculture.

The focus of this journey is the rural producer. For AGCO, putting the farmer at the center of everything means developing solutions that meet the reality of the field, respecting regional characteristics and strengthening the experience with uncomplicated, reliable and affordable products. With around 550 dealerships in South America, five units strategically located in Brazil and two in Argentina, AGCO connects directly with the rural producer.

Investments in the factories of Mogi das Cruzes (SP), Canoas (RS), Ibirubá (RS) and Santa Rosa (RS) and the inauguration of the Reman Transmission Center of Latin America, based in Jundiaí (SP), and the Planter Development Center in Ibirubá (RS), guaranteed the local production of innovative equipment, in addition to the export of Brazilian technology to strategic markets such as the United States, Europe, Africa and Latin America, reinforcing the importance of Brazil in the development of agricultural technology.

As AGCO celebrates its 35th anniversary, it celebrates a legacy of innovation and trust built alongside farmers and reaffirms its purpose of feeding the world intelligently and responsibly, placing the farmer at the center of decisions and innovation.

By Rodrigo Junqueira, General Manager of AGCO and Vice President of Massey Ferguson South America