English 
Spanish 
4 min read
10 comments
Behind every great fall, there is a chance for a new beginning. And no one embodies this reality better than Eike Batista, the tycoon who was once one of the richest men in the world and saw his empire disintegrate.
Now after almost sinking in the market oil and face serious legal problems, Eike Batista comes up with a new and ambitious bet: transform Brazilian agribusiness with super sugarcane capable of revolutionizing ethanol production and even replacing plastic.
The resurgence in agribusiness
Eike Batista, who was once among the greatest global fortunes, with assets valued at billions of dollars, saw his career plunge into chaos with the collapse of his oil company OGX and a series of subsequent failures in other businesses.
In 2013, OGX abandoned operations in the Campos Basin, marking the beginning of a decline that resulted in the almost total loss of its fortune.
- Federal government approves and pre-salt oil will be auctioned! New Chinese dominance?
- Governor announces R$25 MILLION for construction of new marginal roads on important Brazilian highway (BR)
- MORE TAXES! The government wants to increase taxes by 300% and eating out will become more expensive! Restaurant owners are already fearing the worst
- Did you know? The future of cars is being decided right now in Brazil
In 2022, the Federal Revenue estimated that his wealth had shrunk to around R$8,2 million. Even after the financial collapse and arrests linked to Operation Lava Jato, Eike did not give up.
Now, it resurfaces on the national scene, but in a different sector: agribusiness. During an interview with the Market Makers podcast, Batista revealed that he is investing in a new variety of sugar cane that can triple ethanol production per hectare.
According to the businessman, This “super sugarcane” can also produce up to 12 times more biomass, which promises to revolutionize the renewable energy market in Brazil.
The promise of an agricultural revolution
For years, Brazil has been the world's largest producer of sugar cane, with a cultivated area of more than 9,75 million hectares.
Annual production exceeds 578 million tons, placing the country as a global leader in ethanol production technology. Batista, however, believes that there is still a lot to be done and that his innovation could be a game changer.
According to Eike, it took 11 years of research and studies to arrive at this new sugarcane variety.
“These crazy scientists of mine bought all the germplasm from sugar cane available in Brazil, including samples from other parts of the world, such as the United States, France and Barbados”, stated Batista.
Germplasm is a genetic bank that allows the preservation and improvement of specific characteristics of a species, essential for the development of new varieties.
A new business model
Eike Batista is optimistic about the acceptance of the new sugar cane by Brazilian producers. According to him, the plant's high productivity will make it irresistible to mill owners, who will have the opportunity to replace their current plantations with this more efficient variety.
The business model proposed by Batista involves sharing profits with producers, something he believes to be beneficial for all parties involved.
“Every mill owner will want to plant our super sugarcane because it is three times more efficient”, highlights Eike. The idea is that Batista's company shares the gains obtained from increased productivity, which should encourage the rapid adoption of this new technology.
Replacing plastic with sugarcane bagasse
In addition to the focus on ethanol production, Eike Batista sees another great potential in super sugarcane: the replacement of plastic with the plant's bagasse.
According to him, the bagasse that is currently burned to generate energy can be transformed into biodegradable packaging, straws and other products that are currently made of plastic.
During the interview, Batista explained that burning bagasse for US$20 per ton is a waste of economic and environmental potential.
“Sugar bagasse will be used to replace the world’s plastic. Do you know how much a ton transformed into packaging, into straws, into things for packaging fast food, delivery, etc. is worth? From a thousand to 4 thousand dollars”, emphasized Batista.
For him, Brazil must take advantage of this opportunity to lead a new green industrial revolution, based on sugarcane biomass.
A risky but promising bet
Even with all the promises, Eike Batista's project is still a gamble. The businessman's history is marked by great successes, followed by abrupt declines.
However, his new venture in agribusiness brings an innovative perspective to a sector in which Brazil already has a prominent position.
The future will tell whether Eike Batista's “super sugarcane” will be the next great success of Brazilian agribusiness or another chapter in its tumultuous business history.
However, the businessman himself seems confident in his new project, believing that he can once again transform the market, as he did in his best times.
Can Eike Batista's new bet on agribusiness really transform Brazil into a global power in the production of biofuels and biodegradable materials, or will we be facing another chapter of ups and downs in the businessman's life?
I don't know! I believed in previous projects and invested, but the loss was frightening. Now I have one foot forward and one foot back with unfounded ideas. Let's wait and see.
Gentlemen of Agro, let's go slowly with the float, the saint is made of clay! Be cautious with the investments proposed by Eike!
The future of agriculture lies in research and the new sugarcane could be a promising business.
Those who have sugarcane and mills really don't need electric cars or cars powered by fossil fuels... Let's hope this project works out... If the higher productivity translates into lower prices for ethanol, the project will certainly be successful...
Wow...you're arriving a little late in this business...which is already dominated by giants with 100 years of experience in the industry...ex Biagi...Ometto..