BASF highlights credit and digitalization at the Andav 2026 Congress

BASF Agricultural Solutions is presenting, during the 15th edition of the Andav Congress, a set of initiatives aimed at strengthening agricultural distribution, focusing on access to credit, digitalization, and the development of distributors and cooperatives. This strategy is taking place in a context of squeezed margins, financing restrictions, and a growing demand for efficiency in the field.

Among the main priorities is expanding access to financial resources. The company plans to make at least R$ 2,5 billion available in credit solutions throughout 2026, through a combination of traditional and structured instruments developed in partnership with banks, agfintechs, and investment funds.

The strategy includes barter transactions and structures such as Fiagros and Investment Funds in Credit Rights (FIDCs). According to BASF, diversifying financing alternatives helps to broaden access to resources and improve risk management in operations.

“We have two important fronts: productivity gains through the use of technology and structured access to credit. For these initiatives to generate consistent results, risk management, based on a deep understanding of the realities and challenges of each client, combined with the diversification of credit operations, is fundamental,” says Eduardo Gradiz, “leader” of Financial Operations at BASF Agricultural Solutions.

Digitization integrates credit and management in the field.

Digitization is another aspect of the company's strategy. Through the conecta.ag ecosystem, BASF brings together tools focused on sales management, financing, relationship building, and supporting decision-making in the field.

One of the solutions is Conecta Finance, a digital credit platform based on an exclusive fund structured and managed by Farmtech in the Fiagro format. The tool has already enabled approximately R$ 280 million in credit operations.

With a fully digital process, the system centralizes steps such as analysis, documentation, and contracting. The goal is to facilitate credit, risk, and customer portfolio management for distributors, while simultaneously expanding producers' access to financing at the time of purchase.

BASF aims to expand the number of distributors served by the solution and its integration with conecta.ag, concentrating different stages of the commercial and financial journey in a single environment.

The ecosystem also includes Conecta Pontos, a relationship and loyalty initiative integrated into the Agrega program. Over the past two years, the platform has registered an average annual growth of 91% in the value redeemed. Redemptions of products geared towards agribusiness also increased by 94% compared to the previous year, according to the company.

Distribution is considered strategic.

BASF also seeks to expand its operations with distribution channels through four areas: governance, commercial effectiveness, innovation, and development.

Among the initiatives are training programs for leaders, managers, and sales teams of distributors and cooperatives, as well as actions focused on operational efficiency and the adoption of technologies in the field.

“Distribution plays a strategic role in the evolution of Brazilian agribusiness. Generating value for the sector goes beyond offering products: it means developing solutions that strengthen the supply chain, increase efficiency in the field, and contribute to sustainable growth,” says Gustavo Bastos, Senior Market Access Manager at BASF Agricultural Solutions.

El Niño demands attention to management.

During the event, Bastos also commented on the potential effects of El Niño on the next Brazilian harvest. According to him, the phenomenon tends to increase the need for attention to management, with different impacts depending on the region and the crop.

In the south of the country, the expectation of higher volume and intensity of rainfall may increase the pressure of diseases in crops. In this scenario, the use of fungicides may become more important, especially in crops such as soybeans, corn, rice, and wheat.

“More intense rainfall implies more severe disease pressure. This likely indicates the need for more intensive use of fungicides to control these diseases. Now, which fungicide to use and when, the farmer will need not only good partners, like us and our distributors, but also a more critical eye on the property,” says Bastos.

For the Cerrado region, on the other hand, the possibility of drier periods could interfere with the planting window. The executive recommends that producers monitor the regularization of rainfall before starting sowing.

"Now is the time to take your time planting in the Cerrado. It's important for farmers to understand whether the rains have actually stabilized in the region where they produce before starting planting," he says.

The reduced availability of rain can also favor the occurrence of some pests. In soybeans, Bastos mentions the possibility of greater pressure from caterpillars, stink bugs, and whiteflies, while in corn, attention should be focused mainly on leafhoppers and caterpillars. In cotton, the expectation is for greater pressure from pests such as caterpillars, aphids, and whiteflies.

In the south-central region, in addition to the increased disease pressure associated with humidity, crops such as rice and wheat may face additional difficulties in weed control.

Another point of concern, according to Bastos, is the increase in temperatures in the Midwest. In this scenario, choosing products with greater selectivity and a lower potential to cause phytotoxicity may be important to preserve plant development.

“This is a time when farmers need to be more attentive and close to their crops, closely monitoring conditions. They can also count on BASF, the company's entire technical team, and its partners to help them make the best decision,” he says.

The company's assessment is that monitoring weather conditions and adjusting management strategies will be fundamental to addressing the expected regional differences for the harvest and to seeking productivity, quality, and profitability.