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Arab investment of R$ 15 billion could transform macaúba, a native Brazilian plant, into the new star of national agribusiness: With the potential to produce more oil per hectare than soybeans, macaúba is ready to revolutionize the biofuels market and generate thousands of jobs!
Soybeans, until now the undisputed queen of Brazilian agribusiness, may be about to gain a serious competitor. THE macaúba, a plant native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Brazil, is on the radar of Arab investors, who are betting big on its potential. With a contribution of R$15 billion coming from the United Arab Emirates, through Acelen Renováveis, the plant could become Brazil's next big bet in the biofuels market and beyond, according to agrimidia.
Macaúba: the next big bet for agribusiness?
If soybeans are the star of Brazilian agribusiness, macaúba could be the new “darling“. The plant, also known as bocaiúva or coco-babão, is a promising source of vegetable oil. What catches your attention? Its ability to produce up to seven times more oil per hectare than soybeans. Just imagine the impact this could have on the market!
Acelen Renováveis, controlled by the Mubadala fund in the United Arab Emirates, is so confident in this potential that it has already started building the first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) factory derived from macaúba in Mataripe, Bahia. The former president of Embrapa, Maurício Antônio Lopes, believes that macaúba has everything to be as important as soy for Brazil, not only in terms of oil production, but also in its applications in the food industry, cosmetics and, Of course, fuels.
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Economic and environmental impacts: a revolution in the field
Arab investment in macaúba is not just a business issue; It is also a bet on the sustainable future of Brazilian agribusiness. The Acelen project expects to move almost R$90 billion in the next ten years. Furthermore, the initiative promises to create around 90 thousand direct and indirect jobs, mainly in areas of degraded pastures, which will be recovered and transformed into productive fields.
And there's more: the cultivation of macaúba in degraded areas contributes to the capture of carbon credits, an increasingly relevant issue in a world that seeks solutions to the global warming. In other words, in addition to generating income, macaúba also helps take care of the planet. And that's a bonus that no one can ignore.
Challenges and opportunities: path to global leadership
Of course, not everything is rosy. Efficient processing of macaúba for oil extraction is still a challenge to be overcome. But, with the partnership between Acelen and Embrapa, the expectation is that, soon, this native plant will be fully domesticated and ready to compete on equal terms with other oilseeds, such as palm.
Genetic selection and optimization of extraction processes are crucial steps to maximize the economic and environmental benefits of macaúba. If everything goes as planned, Brazil can become a global leader in the production of renewable fuels, and macaúba can be the engine of this revolution.
The future of Brazilian agribusiness: soy or macaúba?
Soy has always played a central role in Brazilian agribusiness, but the arrival of macaúba promises to shake up this status quo. With the support of a billion-dollar investment from the United Arab Emirates, macaúba could become the new star of the field, boosting the economy, creating jobs and helping Brazil to stand out even more in the global biofuels market.
Is macaúba about to become the new soybean? It is still too early to say, but one thing is certain: Brazilian agribusiness may be about to undergo a major transformation. Leave your opinion in the comments!
