Unit has not been producing since 2020 and was in the company’s sales plans under Jair Bolsonaro
the president of Petrobras, Jean Paul Prates, said that the company intends to resume operations at the Araucária Nitrogenados fertilizer factory, a subsidiary of the state-owned company. The unit located in Paraná has not been producing since 2020 and was part of the company’s sales plans in the management of Jair Bolsonaro (PL), but without success.
After completion of the technical and financial feasibility studies, the topic must go through the executive board and the Board of Directors of the company. According to Prates, although investments and adjustments are needed to meet regulatory standards, the operation can be resumed in the 1st half of 2024.
“Brazil is a major producer of agricultural commodities, however, it is dependent on fertilizers from abroad. This market has been facing many challenges around the world. Petrobras is interested in investing in the reactivation of the factory due to the unit’s synergy with Repar [Refinaria Getúlio Vargas]. In addition to reducing the country’s dependence on product imports, with the operation, we will generate jobs and income”said Prates.
Araucária Nitrogenados has the capacity to process around 1,900 tons per day of urea and 1,300 tons per day of ammonia, used in the production of agricultural fertilizers, in addition to other sectors. The raw material is asphalt residue, which can be obtained from Repar, also located in the city of Araucária (PR).
In 2020, Petrobras ended production at the factory claiming that it had been making losses since it was acquired in 2013. It claimed that the results demonstrated the lack of sustainability of the business. From January to September 2019, the loss was almost BRL 250 million.
The director of Industrial Processes and Products at Petrobras, William França, stated that decisions like this “are based on careful analyzes of technical and financial feasibility”. He stated that since the factory stoppage, workers in the region’s municipalities are suffering from unemployment.
“By investing in the resumption of production, we will be demonstrating Petrobras’ ability to supply products of strategic value to the country, with complete operational and environmental safety, in addition to contributing to regional development”he said.
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