Fertilizers require greater storage in Paranaguá

The import of fertilizers through the ports of Paraná, the main port of entry for the product in Brazil, remains strong due to growing demand and the booming market for sales. According to data from the Administration of the Ports of Paranaguá and Antonina, in August, 773.771 thousand tons of the product were unloaded.

However, data from Paranaguá - where 25% of the fertilizers imported by Brazil pass through - show that there is no shortage of product, but there is a lack of space to store the imported fertilizer.

The input is essential for agriculture and Brazil depends on foreign suppliers to meet demand.

Need for expansion

Due to this high import demand, Fortesolo - a port operator specialized in unloading and storing fertilizers in Paranaguá - is already planning to expand its storage infrastructure.

For the coming months, the expectation is to increase warehouse capacity by 45%, from 227 thousand tons to 327 thousand tons. “We are always ahead, growing in storage capacity to serve the market”, highlights the president of Fortesolo, Marco Ghidini.

In 35 years of activity, the company moved around 30 million tons of fertilizers at the Port of Paranaguá, the main entry point for inputs into the country. The volume almost represents the estimated grain production for the 2021/22 harvest in Paraná, a total of 34,6 million tons, according to the National Supply Company (Conab).

Fortesolo's expansion strategy is aligned with the growth of Brazilian agribusiness. Data from Conab indicate that in 1987, when the company began operations, national grain production in the country was around 66 million tons. For 2022, production is estimated at 271 million tons, an increase of 309%, according to Conab.

Storage safety

Fertilizers are essential products for rural producers who want to harvest a productive and quality harvest. However, so that they do not lose their productive potential, it is important to ensure that they are handled and stored correctly, so that all their original properties are maintained.

In this sense, Fortesolo has sought international certifications focusing on safety, health, environment and compliance. For a year now, the company has been certified to ISO 37001, a global standard for managing anti-bribery systems. After an audit conducted by the international certification body RINA, the seal recognizes the company's actions to maintain transparent relationships between all stakeholders: partners, customers and employees.

"The implementation of the integrated management system resulted in improvements in the areas of occupational health and safety, operational efficiency and standardization of processes, in which we obtained all the necessary certifications," he said.

In the purchasing process, for example, orders occur after the application and analysis of a due diligence form, a term that translated into Portuguese means due diligence. “In practice, it is a guarantee of offering equity between all suppliers and transparency. The process becomes more reliable for decision-making”, explains Ghidini.