Reopening of a factory in Paraná will reduce fertilizer imports

The reopening of the Paraná Nitrogen Fertilizer Factory (Fafen-PR) and the conclusion of the works at Fafen Mato Grosso do Sul (Fafen-MS) could halve the import of these inputs currently made by Brazil, on the order of 80%. The evaluation was made this Tuesday (18) by the general coordinator of the Single Federation of Petroleum Workers (FUP), Deyvid Bacelar. FUP joined the working group (GT) created by Petrobras to discuss the reopening of Fafen-PR.

Bacelar told Brazil Agency that the expectation of the FUP, with the victory of president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was the resumption of the production of nitrogenous fertilizers by Petrobras. “That was in his government program, which we helped to build, in the energy chapter”, he recalled. With the election result and the changes in Petrobras’ management, “we were able to sign up for our participation in this working group that will discuss the issue of fertilizers in the country,” added Bacelar.

Initially, there will be a discussion about Araucaria Nitrogenados (Ansa), which is Fafen do Paraná, which has been closed since March 2020, having dismissed 400 own workers and about 600 outsourced workers. The intention is to seek a process of reopening the factory and readmission of dismissed employees.

North East

“The idea is that the WG not only discuss the issue of Fafen-PR and Fafen-MS, which are 87% progress in the works, but also the resumption of the factories in Bahia and Sergipe that, today, are leased to the Unigel group”, informed Deyvid Bacelar. “We believe we will be successful in the entire process.”

Although Petrobras has stipulated a period of 90 days for the presentation of a timetable by the GT, Bacelar said that the period could be reduced. “Or that during the work of the GT, we already have actions being put into practice, and that there is no need, for example, to wait 90 days for the Paraná factory to ‘disengage’ and for it to resume maintenance of the equipment that has been there, stopped for more than three years.”

Including the reopening of Fafen-PR, the completion of Fafen-MS and the resumption of the factories in Bahia and Sergipe, the expectation is that the need to import nitrogen fertilizers in Brazil will fall to something around 10% to 15%. In addition to reducing dependence on imports, the goal is to increase the State’s participation in national production.

In addition to Deyvid Bacelar, the GT includes Alberico Santos Queiroz Filho, director of Sindipetro Unificado, and Ademir Jacinto da Silva, director of Sindiquímica do Paraná. According to FUP representatives, the Paraná unit is in good condition and has the capacity to produce 30,000 cubic meters of oxygen per hour. Fafen-PR only needs maintenance, according to the norms, and general inspections to guarantee the safety of workers and the community.

Petrobras

In a note, Petrobras informed Agência Brasil that there is no decision by the Executive Board or the Board of Directors regarding the reopening of Araucária Nitrogenados, in Paraná, and the completion of works on the Nitrogen Fertilizers Unit III, in Mato Grosso do Sul”.

“At the moment, the company is developing analyzes to define the best alternatives for executing its strategy in the fertilizer sector, within the scope of its strategic planning”. The company also said that “its decisions are based on careful analyzes and technical studies, in compliance with governance practices and applicable internal procedures”.