Representatives of the petrochemical and fertilizer industries, development and research institutions, universities and government authorities attended the launch of the fifth edition of Petrochemicals and Fertilizers in Rio de Janeiro, produced by Firjan SENAI SESI. At the event, held at the headquarters of the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan) on Wednesday (November 4), experts presented data, analyses and outlooks showing that the state could lead a new cycle of industrialisation through high-value-added chemicals and fertilizers.

Participants unanimously called for greater integration among industry stakeholders and public institutions to enable Rio de Janeiro to play a strategic role in supplying and strengthening the competitiveness of Brazil’s industry. The state is expected to receive around R$ 25 billion in investment by 2030.

To download the study from the Firjan Observatory, click the link:

https://observatorio.firjan.com.br/inteligencia-competitiva/petroquimica-e-fertilizantes-no-rio-de-janeiro-2026

Firjan President Luiz Césio Caetano highlighted the start of operations at Rota 3—the Petrobras gas pipeline built to transport natural gas from the Santos Basin—and at the Boaventura Energy Complex, the company’s industrial hub in Itaboraí, as key milestones. Both are essential to driving the growth of industry in the state. “Together with the Duque de Caxias Refinery, the petrochemical complex and the supplier network, this infrastructure creates the conditions for a new cycle of industrialisation,” he noted.

He also emphasised the federation’s work to support the state’s development. “We will continue to support innovation, professional training, safety and productivity. Advanced chemical and petrochemical industries were among the nine emerging opportunities identified in our study Rio de Janeiro’s Future: Economic Strengths and Potential,” he said.

According to Isaac Plachta, president of the Rio de Janeiro State Union of Chemical Products for Industrial Use (Siquirj), the state has the resources and infrastructure to achieve far greater economic development than it has to date. These include oil and natural gas, as well as refining capacity, ports, industries and universities.

“We need to turn these advantages into industrial development. We cannot be content with being major oil and gas producers; adding value and creating the conditions to transform these resources into competitive chemical products, petrochemicals and fertilizers is essential,” he stressed.

Rio de Janeiro State Undersecretary for Innovation Maurício Guedes praised Firjan’s initiative, particularly given Brazil’s dependence on imports. “Brazil imports 90% of the fertilizers it consumes, but we have exceptional conditions for developing this industry in the state, even though natural gas prices in the country remain relatively uncompetitive,” he said.

Maurício Guedes also noted that the fertilizer industry is undergoing a global transformation as major innovations emerge. He spoke about the Centre of Excellence in Fertilizers and Plant Nutrition (CEFENP), which will be headquartered in Rio and will host a technology scale-up hub at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro’s (UFRJ) Technology Park.

Firjan SENAI SESI Oil, Gas, Energy and Shipbuilding Project Manager Thiago Valejo noted that the study also includes a map highlighting the state’s potential, with its existing assets and planned projects, as well as an interactive dashboard featuring key market indicators such as prices, employment and trade balance data. Valejo also highlighted the state’s natural resources and strategic location.

“Rio de Janeiro is a logistics hub, with the conditions needed to add value to the oil and natural gas produced in the state, supply the domestic market and enable exports,” he added.

Discussions point to a way forward for industry

The event featured two panel discussions on the best ways to boost industry in the state, based on the study’s findings. The panel on Petrochemicals in Rio de Janeiro 2026 included Braskem Global Vice President of Operations Raphael Franco de Campos; Jorge Rezende Soares, Executive Director of the Campos Elíseos Business Association (Assecampe); Luis Carlos de Sousa, Senior Process Engineer at Nitriflex; and Beatriz Paulo de Frontin, partner at Veirano Advogados. Maurício Moreira, a member of the Firjan Caxias and Region Business Council, moderated the discussion.

“Rio has gas, infrastructure and expertise, but how do we turn all of that into real competitiveness?” asked the Firjan council member. Braskem’s Global Vice President of Operations advocated integrating refining and petrochemicals, a trend taking place around the world.

The partner at Veirano Advogados underscored the importance of legal certainty and regulatory predictability. The Executive Director of Assecampe stressed the urgency of improving infrastructure, while the Nitriflex representative argued that Brazil needs an industrial policy.

The second panel, Fertilizers in Rio de Janeiro 2026, featured Finep Superintendent Rodrigo Secioso; Everaldo Zonta, Director of the Institute of Agronomy at the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ); and Luiz Orlando da Conceição Junior, Technical Director of Mottainai Brasil. Pedro Igor Veillard Farias, Superintendent of New Economies at the Rio de Janeiro State Department of Economic Development (Sedes-RJ), moderated the discussion.

“This transformation [of the fertilizer industry] depends on a range of stakeholders, which is why I find today’s panel particularly valuable,” said Sedes-RJ’s Superintendent of New Economies, highlighting the connections among academia, industry and development funding.

UFRRJ Institute of Agronomy Director Everaldo Zonta noted that Rio has a competitive advantage in bringing together several research institutes. Rodrigo Secioso stressed that investment in innovation is essential. For Mottainai Brasil’s Technical Director, a policy to expand Brazil’s domestic fertilizer industry is a national necessity.