Producer adopts biotechnology on 100% of his farm and increases the quality of coffee beans

Located in the city of Batatais (SP), which has just over 62 thousand inhabitants and is approximately 40 km from Ribeirão Preto, Fazenda Recreio has been producing coffee for approximately 30 years and has several varieties of the bean. Today it is managed by rural producer Luís Fernando Soares de Mello and his family.

The meaning of the name Batatais is picturesque. One of the versions says that the bandeirantes would have found extensive plantations of purple potatoes here. Another version says that there were Indians in the region and Batatais derives from “baitata”, which according to some local historians means in Tupi “river cascading between rocks”, a reference to the natural beauty of the region.

The area where Fazenda Recreio is located is known mainly for the cultivation of sugar cane. However, the property stands out for having coffee growing as its main activity, in addition to cattle breeding. Of a total of 280 hectares, 90 are used for coffee production. 

With the aim of improving the coffee business on his property, Luís Mello says that three years ago he sought out Superbac, acquired the brand's line of biotechnological fertilizers and carried out the first test using the products on a field of Bourbon grain, highly consumed in several countries. 

According to the farmer, he used chemical fertilizer and biotechnological fertilizer on the same field, which allowed the results to be compared. And he came to the following conclusion: the chemical fertilizer made his soil very acidic. Biotechnological fertilizer managed to reduce this acidity by half. 

More quality with biotechnology

The use of Superbac biotechnological fertilizers also allowed rural producers to perceive four other favorable aspects: 1) the coffee crop became more robust, full and lush; 2) the farm administrator said that he used two tons of limestone per hectare to reduce the acidity of the soil and, with the use of biotechnological fertilizer, he managed to reduce this amount by half; 3) coffee beans have improved a lot, as the soil absorbs nutrients better, which generates sweeter fruit and, consequently, better quality coffee; 4) there is also a greater preservation of the soil microbiota.

Due to the good quality of the coffee beans, he managed to conquer a new market: Germany. “The coffee we export to Germany is pulped (the beans are dried, peeled, and then go through the process of removing the pulp, by immersing them in a tank of water). In addition to exporting, we are also selling the beans to several special coffee shops here in Brazil. Quality is a very important factor for exports in the specialty coffee market”, highlights Luís Mello.

It is important to highlight that all these positive factors are linked to the use of the Supergan line, from Superbac. Supergan fertilizers are made using natural and innovative processes, combining biological soil conditioner rich in bacteria (with Smartbac technology, “smart bacteria”), with macro and micronutrients. It is this combination that rebalances the soil, generating a suitable environment for the development of roots and plants.

Technical support for testing and proper handling of products

In addition to the quality of the products, Luís Mello highlights the technical service and support provided by Superbac. “We had great assistance from the company, which carried out soil and foliar analyzes in the areas where Supergan fertilizer was being used and helped to make comparisons with areas where only chemical fertilizer was used”, he says.

For the producer, the support he received from the company gave him more confidence in using the products. “I started by placing the fertilizer on a small portion of the crop, then on half, and now I use Superbac products on the entire plantation. Therefore, I recommend the use of the products to anyone who wants to test them”, he concludes.