Brazil Travel Update from Maracaju

February-4-2020 1739 From Maracaju

Last night we got hotel rooms in Maracaju so we could have a meeting with the owner of Agricola Panorama (owner Alair Fernandes) at 10:00 am this morning. The owner of the chemical and seed dealership who also owns and farms several farms in Maracaju, Mato Grosso Do Sul. Maracaju is known for it’s sausage festival once a year. No, it does not mean the same thing that we might mean if we say those two words together. See the photo at the entrance to the city. They are proud of their beef sausage that is not ground but cut into chunks. After the meeting we had lunch on another client’s farm outside of the city where they cooked for us and we talked farming- stay tuned for next blog. Of course, they served the type of sausage that the area is famous for.

Din Din, one of his soil’s agronomist and the owner talked business while the owner’s son, Alan Gutuzzo Fernandes, took me on a tour of this facility. They have several more locations in other towns. I may not be 100% correct on this but I think I am. In Brazil, the Ag dealers have only one major manufacturer that they sell and then many minor manufacturers. In the case of Agricola Panorama they represent Syngenta products.

Panorama markets seed, ag chemicals, micronutrients, biologicals and applies seed treatments to the seed they sell.

The seed are kept in a climate-controlled room until they are ready to be treated and delivered to the farm.

Panorama has a small demonstration plot of some of the newer varieties. They have a soccer field out back and a facility that they use to have cookouts for clients. They have an auditorium for farmer meetings and they have a huge state-of-the-art seed treatment facility.

Enjoy the pictures.

When we left the dealership, I asked Din Din how the meeting went. He said they signed up a 1300 hectare farm (3211 acres) and are placing an agricultural university intern on the farm. They will be signed up for soil sampling and scouting soybeans and corn.

I told Din Din and Flavia that I was their lucky charm today. They kindly agreed to give me credit.