en.Wedoany.com Reported - Viter, the agricultural division of Votorantim Cimentos, has announced its entry into the foliar fertilizer market, planning to expand its business through an investment of 300 million reais and the launch of new products. Bruno Marin, the division's general manager, revealed this series of strategic adjustments in an interview with AgFeed.
The century-old Votorantim Group continues to diversify its operations, now holding a significant position in multiple business sectors in Brazil. Its subsidiary Votorantim Cimentos views agriculture as a natural extension. Marin stated that in 1977, it was discovered that limestone from one of its factories was unsuitable for cement production due to high magnesium content but could be used for soil improvement, prompting the group to expand into agricultural inputs. Most of Brazil's soil has high acidity, hindering nutrient absorption, leading to sustained demand for limestone.
The Viter brand was established in 2020 when Votorantim Cimentos began focusing on "mixed fertilizers," combining the product with other nutrients. Limestone serves a soil improvement function while providing macronutrients such as calcium and magnesium. Through mixed fertilizers, the company offers calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. Based on this logic, the company announced a new round of strategic adjustments. Since May, two new products named Adapte and Maximize have been launched for foliar application. The brand has also been restructured, retaining only the Itaú limestone brand established in 1977.
Brazilian agriculture According to data from the Brazilian Association of Limestone Producers (Abracal), transaction volumes in 2025 remained largely stable at 61.3 million tons, slightly up from 59.6 million tons the previous year. However, at Viter, sales last year grew by 13% compared to 2024. Marin stated that the company is the only limestone company with a presence across almost all of Brazil, holding approximately a 10% market share. The area treated with Viter products is equivalent to 6 million hectares. He mentioned that since 2023, sales have become difficult due to cost pressures and credit issues. Unlike traditional fertilizers, limestone is not affected by international price fluctuations or exchange rates; it is 100% domestically produced and has high transportation costs. For 2026, Marin does not forecast Viter's performance but believes the overall limestone market may not grow and could even decline. He assesses that there is pent-up demand for limestone in Brazil, which should have consumed 80 million tons.
Despite the challenges, Viter continues to invest. According to Marin, total investments between 2020 and 2026 amount to 300 million reais. One initiative was the commissioning of a new plant in Nobres, Mato Grosso state, in December 2025, which, as reported by AgFeed, increased annual agricultural limestone production by over 20%, from 740,000 tons to 900,000 tons. In 2024, a factory was opened in Itaperuçu, Paraná state, with an annual agricultural limestone production capacity of 600,000 tons. Combined with the existing factory in Rio Branco do Sul, Viter's total annual installed agricultural limestone production capacity in Paraná reached 1.5 million tons. That same year, the company expanded production capacity at its Itapeva factory in São Paulo state, increasing annual agricultural input production by 260,000 tons; this factory also produces complex fertilizers mixed with other nutrients.
Bruno Marin, who has served as general manager since February this year, stated that the company plans to expand geographically, seeing opportunities in markets such as Rio Grande do Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás, and Bahia. He pointed out that significant growth potential lies in entering the plant and foliar nutrition market. The company has now launched two products, with a series of products planned for the coming years, aiming to establish Viter as a significant player in the foliar fertilizer market. He acknowledged that the initial share will still be low but believes that within five years, important growth will be achieved, and the business will yield more stable and significant results. He hinted that entering this market involves not only nutritional products but also biological products, though he did not provide further details.
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