Petrobras has reactivated urea production at Araucária Nitrogenados S.A. (Ansa), in Paraná, after six years of inactivity, as reported by Agência Brasil. This strategic move is crucial for national agribusiness, aiming to strengthen food security and mitigate external dependence on nitrogen fertilizers, a vital input for agricultural productivity.

With a production capacity of 720 thousand tons/year of urea, Ansa can supply approximately 8% of national demand, contributing to the stability of domestic supply and reducing vulnerabilities in the supply chain.

Ansa's reactivation aligns with the National Fertilizer Plan (PNF), which projects a 50% reduction in external dependence on fertilizers by 2050. The PNF foresees the reactivation of other Petrobras units, such as the Nitrogen Fertilizer Unit III (UFN-III) in Mato Grosso do Sul, to meet up to 35% of national urea demand and strengthen sectoral autonomy.

UFN-III, with a strategic investment of US$ 1 billion, will have a capacity of 1.2 million tons/year of urea and 70 thousand tons/year of ammonia. However, facing a national urea demand projected at 7 million tons for 2025, import dependence remains significant, highlighting the criticality of domestic production.

The sector's regulatory framework, anchored in Law No. 6,894/1980 and Decree No. 4,954/2004, establishes guidelines for fertilizers, correctives, and conditioners. For regulatory affairs teams, this scenario demands constant monitoring of production incentive policies, foreign trade dynamics, and compliance with regulations that govern the agricultural supply chain, ensuring the sector's safety and sustainability.