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Marino José Franz, a rural producer from Lucas do Rio Verde (MT), is one of the most influential personalities in the agribusiness sector and, in 2023, he will turn 60. In 2012, when he launched his first $115 million project to build a corn ethanol production plant, many considered him “crazy”.
But his vision has proven itself over time: today, FS produces 1,4 billion liters per year of corn ethanol, by 2026, the fourth unit will be in operation. Franz explains that to invest in Mato Grosso you need to know Brazil and the demands that exist in the country.
The State has a large area for a relatively small population – 3,5 million inhabitants – and that is why it is traditionally an exporter. To illustrate this reality, Franz compares the east zone of Sao Paulo City, which has 4,6 million inhabitants. With his motto “from crazy to visionary”, Marino José Franz has shown that it is possible to succeed even in the face of the most complex challenges.
FS Agrisolutions, a joint venture between US millionaire Bruce Rastetter and Franz, former mayor of Lucas (2005 to 2012), has distinguished itself in recent years for its efforts to bring technological advances to the production of corn ethanol. Recently earning around R$6,6 billion on its balance sheet last year, this company was considered the fourth largest ethanol producer the country.
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Currently, Brazilian investments in the corn ethanol add up to R$30 billion and the forecast is that by 2030 more than R$15 billion will be invested. The National Union of Corn Ethanol estimates that in 2026 75 million tons of value-added cereal will be produced. Last year, 4,39 billion liters of this fuel were produced.
The FS project aims to contribute to this growing production and will start its activities next year. In this way, they also intend to enable the use of corn kerosene in Brazil, thus bringing a great advance in the national aeronautical industry. Thus, FS Agrisolutions has been a true revolution in the exploration of the corn ethanol in Brazil and contributes to the country's environmental sustainability.
Giant corn, the technology that changed the agricultural market in Lucas do Rio Verde. Since 1992, when the Rio Verde Foundation was created, the search for services and events has intensified.
The foundation's task is to adapt technologies to the local reality and this was evidenced last year with a profit of R$11 million. This amount could even double by 2026 with investments in seed labs.
The revolution is in productivity. If before there were 50 bags per hectare, today it is possible to reach 200 bags per hectare. This has a direct impact on the economy of the producer, who manages to increase his income simply through the adoption of technology. Agronomist engineer Rodrigo Marcelo Pasqualli points out that today more than 45% of Fundação Rio Verde's efforts are focused on maize, as it has genetic potential that cannot be wasted.
Technology was fundamental in this process, as it allowed farmers to achieve great results and become more competitive in the market. It is on this basis that the giant maize came to definitely change the agricultural scenario of Lucas do Rio Verde.
The corn cereal, which before was simply stored in the open, now has a more profitable and lucrative destination: the production of corn ethanol.
According to engineer Pasqualli, this is due to the growth in local demand for this cereal in human and animal food. However, the main legacy of this culture is the arrival of ethanol plants, as they offer people a chance to generate profit from this grain.
Besides the corn ethanol, the mills also produce other co-products, such as high protein fiber from corn and yeast used in fermentation, which are sold as DDG (Dried Distillers Grains) and WDG (Wet Distillers Grains). These co-products are ideal for animal feed.
The FS company processed 3,3 million tons of corn last year, with 1,2 million destined for the production of co-products. This represented 19,5% of operating revenue. According to Franz, vice-president of the foundation's board of trustees, “the growth curve for corn in the coming years will be much greater than the growth curve for soybeans”.
With a minimum price per bag of cereal at around R$23 and market price around R$60, the federal government had to write a check of R$2 billion last year just to equalize the minimum price of this grain. The FS company collected R$540 million in state taxes and R$85 million from FETHAB (State Fund for Transport and Housing), resulting in benefits for those who work in this area.
Therefore, it is undeniable that this culture of corn ethanol came to change the lives of Brazilian rural producers. The benefits of this transformation are already being felt by the people involved in this process!
Mato Grosso continues to lead the production of 100% corn ethanol
