Brazil is moving to strengthen the security of its fertilizer supply after its Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock signed a memorandum of understanding with Morocco’s OCP Nutricrops targeting the delivery of 3.8 million tonnes of fertilizer between 2026 and 2027.
The agreement was signed on September 18 at OCP Nutricrops’ industrial complex in Morocco, by Brazilian Agriculture and Livestock Minister André de Paula and OCP Nutricrops CEO Faris Derrij. The agreement establishes a framework for securing fertilizer supplies while expanding cooperation in plant nutrition, soil health, research and agricultural technology.
The timing is significant for Brazil, one of the world's largest agricultural producers and fertilizer consumers. The country's National Fertilizer Plan estimates that Brazil accounts for about 8 percent of global fertilizer consumption, ranking fourth worldwide behind China, India and the United States. Soybeans, maize and sugarcane alone account for more than 73 percent of Brazilian fertilizer demand.
The OCP arrangement will place particular emphasis on triple superphosphate (TSP), a concentrated phosphate fertilizer, alongside customized plant-nutrition products designed around Brazilian soils and crops. The cooperation is also expected to cover soil health, sustainable farming practices, digital agricultural solutions, research, training and technical knowledge transfer.
For Brazil, securing fertilizer supplies is closely linked to maintaining agricultural productivity. The country is preparing for another large grain harvest, with the National Supply Company (Conab) projecting 366.6 million tonnes of grains for the 2026/27 season, potentially the largest volume in the agency's historical series. The projected crop would represent a 1.4 percent increase over the 2025/26 harvest, supported mainly by a larger planted area.
The agreement also reflects Brazil's effort to diversify and strengthen fertilizer supply chains. OCP said the partnership comes amid international supply-chain pressures that have reinforced the importance of maintaining reliable and diversified sources of agricultural inputs. Fertilizer availability has become important for countries seeking to protect food production from disruptions in international markets.
The relationship between Brazil and OCP is not new. OCP established its Brazilian subsidiary in 2010, giving the Moroccan group more than 15 years of experience working with Brazilian farmers, agricultural companies and other participants in the country's food and fertilizer value chain. The latest agreement expands that relationship beyond product supply into agronomic cooperation and technology.
Importantly, the September agreement is a memorandum of understanding rather than a completed commercial purchase contract. The 3.8 million-tonne figure represents the supply framework being targeted, while individual transactions will remain subject to commercial negotiations and mutually agreed terms.
NBF Insight
Brazil's agreement with OCP highlights how fertilizer security is becoming inseparable from food security.
For a country producing hundreds of millions of tonnes of grain, reliable access to plant nutrients is critical to maintaining yields. But the partnership also goes beyond simply securing fertilizer volumes. Its focus on soil health, customized nutrition, research and farmer knowledge reflects a broader shift from selling inputs to developing more efficient agricultural production systems.
For Morocco, the agreement strengthens its position in one of the world's most important agricultural markets. For Brazil, it provides another channel for securing a critical farm input while deepening access to agronomic expertise.
The bigger lesson for agriculture is clear: the future of food production will depend not only on how much land is cultivated, but also on how securely farmers can access the nutrients, technology and knowledge needed to make that land productive.
