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Largest Agricultural Producer in the Country Grows 13.6% and Invests R$ 900 Million in Irrigation by 2029, Soybean and Cotton Productivity Soars with Technology and Sustainability
SLC Agrícola, known as the “King of Agro,” has just reaffirmed its sovereignty in the Brazilian countryside. The company announced a significant increase in planted area, reaching 836,095 hectares in the 2025/26 harvest — a growth of 13.6% compared to the previous cycle. This achievement consolidates its leadership as the largest producer of agricultural commodities in Brazil, combining scale, efficiency, and innovation into a single strategic plan.
The advance is driven by soybeans and second-crop corn. The latter grows 28.9%, reaching 158,249 hectares, while soybeans — the company’s flagship — rise 13.8%, totaling 429,702 hectares.
More than just numbers, these results represent the strength of an agribusiness that combines risk management, technology, and regional diversification to ensure stability amid climate and market fluctuations.
“Our goal is to combine productivity and sustainability at every stage of production,” emphasizes SLC in its report.
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The water that almost everyone throws away after cooking potatoes carries nutrients released during the preparation and can be reused to help in the development of plants when used correctly at the base of gardens and pots, at no additional cost and without changing the routine.
Billion-Dollar Irrigation: Productivity Under Control
Ensuring cash predictability and harvest stability is a priority for the group. That’s why SLC is executing a R$ 900 million irrigation project, which will expand irrigated areas from 16,000 to 53,200 hectares by 2029.
The goal is clear: reduce climate risks and increase profits from soybeans, corn, and cotton, with estimated returns between R$ 6,000 and R$ 7,000 per hectare per harvest.
The results are already visible in the fields:
- Irrigated cotton reaches 360 arrobas per hectare, triple the yield in dryland areas (120 arrobas);
- Irrigated soybeans yield 73.6 bags per hectare, more than double the conventional model.
The average production cost, however, increased by 10.2%, reaching R$ 7,112 per hectare, reflecting the rising costs of inputs and the adoption of new technologies.
This investment is strategic: irrigation has become the heart of SLC Agrícola’s productivity, ensuring competitiveness even in challenging weather years.
Sustainability and Technology: The New Standard in Agro
In a sector increasingly pressured by environmental criteria, SLC Agrícola has been transforming its farms into sustainability laboratories.
The company, present in 26 farms across seven Brazilian states, applies regenerative practices in 100% of its operations and has just launched the largest carbon measurement project in the national agribusiness, in partnership with the deeptech Fluere.
The system monitors 736,000 hectares, capturing 500,000 tons of CO₂ and integrating data from over 2,000 crops in real time.
According to Tiago Agne, sustainability manager at SLC:
“Monitoring places the company on a new level of environmental management, aligned with global standards such as the GHG Protocol and RenovaBio.”
The objective is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, anticipating future demands for carbon pricing at the European border. An initiative that reinforces the company’s commitment to the green future of Brazilian agro.
Territorial Expansion and Billion-Dollar Appreciation
The strength of SLC Agrícola comes not only from the natural growth of the harvest but also from an aggressive strategy of mergers and acquisitions.
By 2025, the company surpassed the mark of 800,000 hectares after investing R$ 1.7 billion in the purchase of properties such as Fazenda Paladino (BA) and Fazenda Pamplona (MG).
These acquisitions strengthen geographic diversification and reduce climate risks, essential pillars for operational stability.
The numbers are impressive: according to Deloitte, SLC’s lands are valued at R$ 13.4 billion, with an average annual appreciation of 13.4% since the IPO in 2007. The return on equity (ROE) reached 22.9% between 2020 and 2024, comparable to the largest banks in the country.
Innovation and Responsibility in Leading Agro
With 836,000 hectares cultivated, billion-dollar investments in irrigation, and the largest carbon project in Brazilian agro, SLC Agrícola reaffirms its role as a protagonist in a new model of efficient, technological, and environmentally responsible agribusiness.
More than just a giant in the field, the company has become a reference in professional management and sustainability, proving that success in modern agribusiness depends as much on productivity as it does on respect for the environment.
And you, reader? In light of this scenario, do you believe that technology and sustainability can walk hand in hand?
Share your opinion in the comments.
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