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Mato Grosso Leads the Corn Ethanol Revolution in Brazil, with Expansion of Mills, Job Creation, and Accelerated Production Growth
Along the BR-163, in Sinop (MT), towers, pipes, and steel tanks resemble a futuristic scenario. The line of trucks loaded with corn indicates the destination: the largest corn ethanol refinery in Latin America.
In 2024, Inpasa processed 3.7 billion liters, almost half of the national volume of the grain. In the total ethanol market, including sugarcane, it represented 12%.
According to the Union of the Sugarcane Industry and Bioenergy (Unica), Brazil produced 36.8 billion liters that year, 4.4% more than in 2023.
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Corn is attractive because it can be stored, facilitates planning, and allows for up to three harvests. Additionally, it generates oil and valuable co-products for animal feed.
Accelerated Growth
Corn ethanol is growing rapidly. The National Corn Ethanol Union (Unem) projects 10 billion liters in the 2025/2026 harvest, up from 8.19 billion in the previous one. This already places Brazil as the second-largest producer in the world, behind only the USA.
The country has the materials to sustain this expansion. Brazil is the third-largest corn producer in the world.
In ten years, production has grown by 40% and is around 130 million tons, according to the National Supply Company (Conab).
Integrated Production
The Inpasa unit in Sinop also produces 1 million tons of DDGS, an alternative protein to soybean meal, along with 105 thousand tons of oil and 804.1 GWh of bioelectricity.
The process includes grinding, fermentation, and oil separation by centrifugation. Anhydrous and hydrated ethanol, as well as DDGS, are the main products.
A digital platform controls everything, monitoring waste and the final destination. Biomass is converted into electrical energy for internal consumption, and the surplus goes to the National Integrated System (SIN).
“Mato Grosso, as a strategic agricultural hub, remains central to our plans. We are assessing new opportunities to strengthen vertical integration and logistics,” says Flávio Peruzo Gonçalves, vice president of Inpasa.
Impact on Employment and Expansion
The Sinop unit employs 1,200 workers. Adding up operations in Nova Mutum (MT), Sidrolândia (MS), Dourados (MS), and Balsas (MA), there are 2,800 jobs.
Moreover, a new plant is under construction in Luís Eduardo Magalhães (BA), with an investment of R$ 4.9 billion.
Since 2018, when the refinery arrived, local producers have found an incentive to invest. All processed corn comes from the region. The company requires environmental and social references and encourages sustainable practices.
“The plant absorbs part of the corn supply and stimulates the second harvest. This provides liquidity and predictability for producers, strengthening agriculture and logistical development,” says Gonçalves.
Transformation in the Field
Previously, a large portion of the corn from northern Mato Grosso was exported. Logistics made it difficult and limited the second harvest. With the refinery, the grain gained local liquidity.
“Before, we planted corn just to have straw in the soil. With the refinery, corn has gained value. We invested in seeds, fertilizer, and technology. It was a door that opened,” says producer Invaldo Weiss from Santa Carmem.
Mato Grosso in Leadership
According to the Mato-Grossense Institute of Agricultural Economy (Imea), the state leads the corn milling for ethanol, with 12.5 million tons.
Mato Grosso do Sul follows with 3.51 million, and Goiás with 2.1 million.
Unem reports that 10 of the 24 biorefineries in operation in Brazil are in Mato Grosso. Another 16 have been authorized for construction, and an additional 16 are planned.
New Investments
In Sorriso, FS processes 4.8 million tons of corn and generates 2.3 billion liters of ethanol, along with 1.7 million tons of DDGS. The sector continues to attract investments.
A supplier of Inpasa, Weiss and partners invested R$ 1 billion in Etanol Verde do Mato Grosso (Evermat). The plant is set to begin operations in March, with a capacity to process 1,200 tons of corn per day. “We already have 1 million bags in stock,” asserts Weiss.
Thus, Mato Grosso consolidates its position as the center of corn ethanol production in Brazil. With the expansion of plants, new investments, and job creation, the state transforms the grain into energy, protein, and regional development.
With information from Estadão.
Parabéns Brasil, e pensar que seres traidores da patria pensaram que o Brasil ia falir sem o tio San?Vale saber que o Brasil fechou negócio de etanol com a Itália a poucos dias.Somos mais, somos abençoados.