Microbe product developer BioConsortia Inc., Davis, Calif., on Sept. 19 announced a strategic expansion into Brazil.
“We have accelerated our entrance into Brazil because, even as the country leads the world in use of biologicals, we believe BioConsortia’s products offer improved performance to growers because of their ease-of-use and consistent contribution to yield,” said BioConsortia CEO Marcus Meadows-Smith. “We are eager to collaborate with local partners to create a lasting positive impact on the environment and the economy by improving farmer profitability.”
BioConsortia said Brazil’s biological product market exceeds $850 million and offers the company a prime opportunity for its seed-delivered microbial products.
BioConsortia’s expansion to Brazil is already underway. The company recently appointed Cesar Lamonega as Business Development Lead, Latin America, who will accelerate BioConsortia’s commercial partnering activity in the territory. In addition, the company also added Debora Chaves Coelho Leite to the regulatory team. It said she brings broad regulatory experience from her previous roles at Vigna Brazil and Monsanto Brazil.
BioConsortia said it has begun registration efforts for multiple seed-applied products, including a fungicide targeting early season pathogens like rhizoctonia and pythium, as well as a broad-spectrum nematicide that also shows activity against soil insects like corn rootworm and wireworm.
BioConsortia previously announced an R&D and Commercial Agreement with The Mosaic Co. for nitrogen-fixing microbial solutions in row crops in territories including Brazil (GM Dec. 11, 2020).
Field testing in Brazilian corn production is already underway and the company aims to demonstrate meaningful yield increases and reduced application of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, thereby producing more grain for every unit of applied nitrogen.