Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
5 min of reading 
3 comments 
Eike Batista Is Back With an Ambitious Plan to Revolutionize Agribusiness. The “Cellulose Cane” Promises to Multiply Ethanol and Biomass Production, with the Potential to Generate Billions in Revenue. Will This New Supercane Be What He Needs to Revive His Career?
When we thought Eike Batista, the former billionaire who once dominated the headlines, had stepped out of the spotlight, he resurfaces with ambitious plans to shake up one of Brazil’s most promising sectors: agribusiness.
After a spectacular fall in the oil sector, culminating in a series of lawsuits linked to Operation Lava Jato, many believed the entrepreneur had left his grand dreams behind. But now, Eike reappears with a new proposal: to radically transform the sugarcane economy. And he is not thinking small.
With a message of optimism and innovation, Eike Batista returns with the promise of making sugarcane yield much more than just ethanol. The idea, in his own words, is to “turn the sugarcane economy upside down” with the introduction of a new variety known as “cellulose cane.”
-
The government requests the Federal Revenue Service for a new system to automate the income tax declaration, reducing errors, time, and bureaucracy for millions of Brazilians.
-
Pix in installments, international Pix, and contactless payment without internet: the Central Bank revealed the new features coming to the tool that is already used by almost every adult in Brazil.
-
Mercado Livre has just started selling medications with delivery in up to three hours to your door, and this move could completely change the way Brazilians buy medicines on a daily basis.
-
In Dubai, rising tensions from the war in the Middle East are causing super-rich individuals to leave the Gulf and direct their fortunes to a new financial refuge in Asia.
This plant promises to revolutionize not only ethanol production but also generate enough biomass to supply other industries such as plastics and paper, and even the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) market. The ambition, of course, is to make this project a reality that will transform Brazil into an even greater power in the sugar-energy sector.
From Oil to Cane: An Ambitious Plan
According to Eike Batista, the project to develop a “supercane” is not new. He and his partner, Luís Rubio, have been working on it for over 10 years. The initial idea, launched in the late 2000s, was already promising but faced difficulties and was nearly abandoned.
Originally known as “energy cane,” the plant featured a higher fiber density than conventional cane, making it ideal for biomass generation. Now rebranded as “cellulose cane,” the variety has been adapted to meet the demands of the current scenario, where sustainability is becoming increasingly relevant.
Eike, in an interview with AgFeed, revealed that meetings with mill owners and businesspeople in the agribusiness sector have been held to promote the switch from traditional cane to “cellulose cane.” His role in the project, as he admits, is that of a consultant, but his involvement is so extensive that he is the main voice behind this new venture. The company responsible for developing the new varieties is BRXe, which has invested over R$ 350 million in the project so far.
A Super Powerful Cane: What “Cellulose Cane” Promises
The great differential of “cellulose cane,” according to Eike Batista, is its capacity to generate a productivity far superior to conventional cane.
According to data presented by him, the new variety can yield up to 180 tons per hectare over 10 years, whereas traditional cane achieves an average of 80 tons per hectare and is productive for only five years.
This superior productivity also reflects in ethanol yield, which could triple per hectare, and in the generation of bagasse, which would be seven to twelve times greater.
The economic impact of this supercane would be enormous, according to estimates by Eike himself. Ethanol production in Brazil, which was around 35.4 billion liters in 2023, could leap to over 106 billion liters simply by replacing current varieties. This would generate revenue of US$ 106 billion, considering the sale of SAF at US$ 1 per liter, far exceeding the US$ 0.77 per liter of conventional ethanol.
In addition to ethanol, the biomass generated by “cellulose cane” could be used to produce green plastics, biodegradable packaging, and other sustainable products, further expanding the project’s potential for gains. Eike’s expectation is that this variety will become standard in Brazilian sugarcane fields in the coming years.
The Past That Inspires the Future
Eike‘s passion for grand projects comes from his father, Eliezer Batista, founder of Vale and one of the main figures responsible for Brazil’s industrialization. Eliezer was a key player in transforming the country into a powerhouse in paper and cellulose production by encouraging the use of eucalyptus in the 1960s.
Eike Batista drew inspiration from this success story for his new venture, believing that “cellulose cane” can do for the sugar and ethanol sector what eucalyptus did for the paper industry.
“We are seeking to create the largest genetic improvement program for sugarcane on the planet,” Eike said in an interview. To do this, the BRXe team, led by Rubio and renowned researcher Sizuo Matsuoka, one of the largest specialists in sugarcane biotechnology in Brazil, is crossing about 300,000 sugarcane species per year to find the most productive varieties.
Challenges and the Promising Future
Although the project is ambitious, it is not without challenges. The biggest one, as Eike Batista himself admits, is the production of seedlings. BRXe currently has the capacity to plant 4,000 hectares per year, but the goal is to increase this capacity to 80,000 hectares by 2026. Another obstacle is convincing producers and investors, who need to believe in the revolutionary potential of the new variety to invest in its adoption.
Despite these challenges, Eike Batista is optimistic. He believes his supercane could be a true revolution in the sector and promises extraordinary financial results.
Each module of 70,000 hectares would require an investment of R$ 360 million but would generate R$ 600 million annually in revenue just from ethanol production. The entrepreneur also emphasizes that, with increased bagasse production, the sector could completely replace traditional plastic use with sustainable alternatives.
“The legacy we want to leave is a cane that benefits the entire sugar and ethanol industry over the next 20 years,” Eike states. The challenge, however, goes beyond promoting innovation; he also needs to restore his own image in the market, proving that this time his dream can become a reality.
Could Eike Batista’s supercane revolutionize Brazil’s sugar and ethanol sector, or will it be yet another unfulfilled promise? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Introdução de novas variedades não é uma tarefa fácil em qualquer cultura. Imagino que Eike já sabe disso e deve ter uma estratégia de curto, médio e longo prazo. Quem faz uma variedade ser adotada por um fazendeiro é outro fazendeiro. Não adianta apostar somente em equipe técnica e planejar implantaçao de grandes áreas no início, tem que ser paulatino. O convencimento de fazendeiros se faz na prática num ciclo de 5 anos.
Qual a opinião da EMBRAPA? A reportagem poderia além nessa matéria.
Tenho tecnologia MHR Ecouturb quântica aplicada nesta cana será possível realizar o projeto com muita folga