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FAFEN-PR, Petrobras Fertilizer Plant in Araucária, Will Reopen in the First Half of 2024, Generating 5 Thousand Jobs and Benefiting the Agricultural Sector.
The Nitrogen Fertilizer Plant of Paraná (FAFEN-PR), located in Araucária, is set to resume its activities after two years of shutdown. The reopening of the plant, which belongs to Petrobras, is expected to take place in the first half of 2024 and generate around 5,000 direct and indirect job openings in the region, according to Sindiquímica-PR, the union representing the workers in the sector.
Why Was the Fertilizer Plant Closed?
The decision to reactivate FAFEN-PR was made by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), who took office in January this year after defeating Jair Bolsonaro (independent) in the 2023 elections.
The plant had been hibernated in 2020 during the Bolsonaro administration, which claimed that the unit was unprofitable and economically unviable.
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Reopening of FAFEN-PR Will Benefit the Agricultural Sector and Reduce External Dependency on Fertilizers
However, the reopening of FAFEN-PR is seen as strategic for the country’s development, especially for the agricultural sector, which depends on the fertilizers produced by the plant.
FAFEN-PR is responsible for a significant share of the national production of urea and ammonia, essential raw materials for the manufacture of fertilizers.
With a greater supply of domestic products, a reduction in production costs and food prices for the end consumer is expected.
Additionally, the reopening of FAFEN-PR will also contribute to reducing external dependency on fertilizers, which is currently about 80%.
The import of these products is impacted by exchange rate variations, logistics, and geopolitical instability, such as the war between Russia and Ukraine, which affects the supply of natural gas, a raw material for the production of fertilizers.
Investments Needed for the Resumption of Petrobras’ Plant
To resume operations, FAFEN-PR is expected to receive an investment of approximately R$ 800 million from Petrobras, which will be used to bring the plant in line with environmental and safety standards, as well as modernize the equipment.
The reactivation of the plant was discussed in a meeting held on Tuesday (06) at the facility itself, between state representative Ana Júlia Ribeiro (PT), representatives of FAFEN-PR, and workers’ unions (Sindiquímica-PR and Sindipetro-PR/SC).
“The reopening of FAFEN-PR represents the vision of the country we believe in, where Petrobras is a public company that generates development, jobs, and income. That is why we are fighting for this to happen as soon as possible”, stated Ana Júlia.
The representative also criticized the previous government’s decision to hibernate the plant, which she considered “criminal” and “harmful” to the national industry.
FAFEN-PR Is Expected to Generate 5 Thousand Direct and Indirect Job Openings with Reopening
Of the five thousand job openings expected to be created with the reopening of FAFEN-PR, a thousand will be direct.
Sindiquímica-PR reported that the priority will be given to workers laid off in 2020 when the plant was shut down.
These professionals have experience and knowledge about the operation of the unit, which has a complex operation and involves extreme temperatures ranging from -70°C to 200°C in certain equipment.
The reactivation of FAFEN-PR will also boost the growth of the petrochemical sector’s production chain in Paraná, benefiting not only Araucária but also other municipalities in the region, such as Lapa, Contenda, São José, Fazenda Rio Grande, Campo Largo, and the Industrial City of Curitiba.
These cities host several companies that provided services to FAFEN-PR and have been idle since 2020, awaiting the resumption of activities.
Source: Assembly of Paraná
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