Specialized Trade Platform Empowers Closer China-Brazil Agrochemical Partnerships

Brazil's vast agricultural sector, a cornerstone of the global food supply, is increasingly dependent on pesticide imports, with China solidifying its role as the dominant supplier, recent market data reveals. This critical trade relationship is evolving amidst a broader industry shift towards sustainable practices.

As a leading agricultural producer with 388 million hectares of arable land, Brazil's output of soybeans, maize, sugarcane, and coffee necessitates a massive pesticide market. UK consultancy Kynetec reported the market valued at US$20.706 billion in 2023, with 1.4246 million tonnes of formulated pesticides used, including over 200,000 tonnes of glyphosate active ingredient.

According to Brazil's ComexStat, imports of pesticide formulations grew significantly to 760,000 tonnes in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 135,000 tonnes. China supplied 70% of these imports, or 533,000 tonnes, underscoring its pivotal role as the world's largest pesticide exporter.

The treated area in Brazil continues to expand, reaching 1 billion hectares in the first three quarters of 2024, a 10.9% year-on-year increase, with usage volume rising 10.3%. Soybeans and maize are the primary drivers, accounting for 35% and 27% of the treated area, respectively. Herbicides lead product categories at 45%, followed by insecticides and fungicides at 23% each.

Brazil's market leads globally in scale, with a terminal consumption value of US$15.1 billion in 2023. Application intensity is also rising, with the total treated area surpassing 2 billion hectares in 2024, a 9.2% increase. Concurrently, the market is transitioning towards sustainability. Data from the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture indicates nearly half of all farmers have begun using biological pesticides. Between 2020 and 2024, 519 low-risk product registrations were approved, with biologicals consistently comprising 16% to 20% of all new registrations.

Strategic Alignment and Shared Challenges

The China-Brazil agrochemical partnership faces a landscape of strategic opportunities and shared challenges. The relationship is highly complementary: China is the largest producer of non-patented pesticides, and Brazil is the largest consumer. Over 70 Chinese manufacturers have secured nearly 200 pesticide registrations in Brazil for more than 70 active ingredients.

This cooperation is poised to deepen with Brazil's National Pesticide Reduction Programme (Pronara), signed by President Lula, which aims to phase out high-risk pesticides and promote biological agents. This aligns with China's rapidly growing biological pesticide sector, which has registered over 2,000 products and approved 49 new active ingredients between 2020 and 2024.

However, challenges from the Chinese domestic market, including stringent regulatory compliance costs, intense homogenous competition leading to price wars, and fierce international rivalry with India, compress profit margins. Broader macroeconomic uncertainties, such as geopolitical tensions and legacy trade disputes, also threaten the stability of the global supply chain, potentially increasing costs and risks for the Brazilian market.

Trade Platforms Foster Collaboration

Industry exchanges like the Brasil AgrochemShow are pivotal in strengthening this trade link. Co-organized by the CCPIT Chemical Industry Branch and Allier Brasil, the 16th edition was held in São Paulo on August 12-13, 2025.

The event, supported by key Brazilian agricultural associations, gathered nearly 70 exhibitors and over 1,000 professionals from 13 countries. Experts from China and Brazil presented on market trends, regulatory changes, and biological control, while dialogue sessions covered registration processes and sustainable development.

Looking ahead, the 26th China International Agrochemical & Crop Protection Exhibition (CAC 2026) is scheduled for March 17-19, 2026, in Shanghai. The event will feature four thematic exhibitions and is expected to host over 2,200 companies and 100,000 professionals, further facilitating global industry collaboration and supporting the sustainable development of agriculture in Brazil and South America.