The National Union of the Industry of Raw Materials for Fertilizers (Sinprifert), representing the national producers (except Petrobras), announced on Friday (27) a note expressing concern about the announcement regarding the interruption of the production of ammonia and urea from Petrobras in Camaçari (BA) and Laranjeiras (SE).
In the statement, the union warns that the closure of production of these units will increase the deficit in the national supply of ammonia and urea, increasing the import dependence of these inputs that directly affect the competitiveness of Brazilian agricultural production.
In the note, Sinprifert says that it believes that a joint effort is needed to formulate policies that will enable the supply of natural gas as raw material, in order to increase attractiveness and ensure the production of domestic ammonia. According to the union, the viability of the national ammonia production will favor the maintenance and generation of jobs in this productive chain that is determinant for the production of fertilizers, food and chemicals in Brazil.
Sinprifert points out that the closure of Petrobras’ ammonia and urea plants intensifies competition asymmetries with the imported product, and further weaken the national fertilizer industry, which already has a drop in the Brazilian market each year.