EN 
PT_BR 
Approximately 90% of the fertilizers needed for the soy 2026/27 have already been acquired by producers, while purchases intended for corn According to Agrinvest's estimate, the prices in 2027 are approximately 45%. The difference shows that the two crops are entering distinct planning stages, and for those who have already secured inputs, attention is beginning to shift from the purchase price to the efficiency of their use in the field.
In the case of soybeans, with a large part of the needs already contracted, decisions related to soil diagnosis, nutritional balance, application strategy, and crop monitoring become increasingly important in the attempt to transform the investment into productivity.
For corn, the scenario still involves a larger portion of outstanding acquisitions. According to Agrinvest, approximately 55% of fertilizer purchases for the second crop of 2027 have not yet been made. Credit, weather, planting window, and area expectations may influence decisions in the coming months.
The planning of these crops has a significant impact on the national demand for inputs. Soybeans, corn, and sugarcane together account for more than 731% of fertilizer consumption in Brazil, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture.
In addition to the increase in purchases, the cost of supply is also noteworthy. Between January and July 2026, Brazil imported 7.4% less fertilizer by volume compared to the same period in 2025. Despite the reduction, spending on foreign purchases grew by 7.3%, reaching US$8.8 billion.
The trend reinforces the influence of factors such as price, international supply, and exchange rates on agricultural production costs. However, with a significant portion of inputs already contracted, the economic analysis also considers the capacity for nutrient utilization in each area.
According to Luis Schiavo, CEO of Naval Fertilizantes, the result of fertilization depends on factors that go beyond the quantity applied.
"The same amount of fertilizer can have different results depending on the history of the plot, the management practices adopted, and the conditions encountered during crop development," assesses Schiavo.
The executive states that the post-purchase phase requires knowledge of the soil characteristics, the needs of each crop, and the farm's management conditions.
“After purchasing fertilizers, a stage begins that is just as important as negotiating the inputs: ensuring that they are used as efficiently as possible. This requires knowing the characteristics of the soil, the needs of the crop, and the management conditions of the area. When nutrition is planned strategically, the productivity potential and the return on investment increase,” he states.
Monitoring the crop is also part of this strategy. The plants' response to the conditions actually found in the field can indicate the need for adjustments throughout the crop's development.
“Nutrition should not be treated as an isolated step. It needs to be connected to farm management and crop monitoring, because productive potential depends on a combination of factors,” explains Schiavo.
With soybean fertilizer purchase contracts at a more advanced stage and corn with more than half of the purchases still outstanding, producers face different decisions depending on the crop. For those who have already purchased inputs, attention shifts to executing the nutritional plan and making the most of the investment made before planting.
“In a scenario where every investment needs to be well utilized, the most important thing is not just how much the producer paid for the fertilizer, but what return that input can generate in the crop. Proper management is what transforms that investment into productivity,” concludes the CEO of Naval Fertilizantes.
