Ana Mano

SAO PAULO, (Reuters) – A Brazilian unit of the plant nutrition company Yara International has purchased for an undisclosed amount a 14% share in Orbia (Brazilian online farm product trade platform), which is majority owned by Germany. Bayer AG (DE:).

This announcement was made after both parties received approval from Brazilian antitrust officials. It comes at a time when Yara aims for 25% of its sales to be done online by 2025.

Vargas stated that Orbia “was a perfect match.”

Ivan Moreno (Orbia CEO) stated that Brazil’s Bravium was equally diluted for Yara. Bravium now holds a 17.2% and Orbia has 68.8%.

Orbia thinks a new generation, younger farmers, will buy more inputs online. She wants to profit from it.

Moreno explained that Yara’s investment in Orbia gives the company a seat at its board and will enable it “to make a big leap forward.”

Moreno explained that “Yara’s presence in Orbia as a Partner highlights Orbia’s business model’s credibility.”

Orbia’s market place allows farmers to buy fertilizers, seeds and pesticides. You can trade soy, coffee and corn.

Moreno stated that Orbia’s sales will triple to $3 billion in reais ($580.5m) by 2021.

Orbia began operations in Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia after successfully testing the waters in Brazil. Brazil is a large producer of many agricultural commodities, including sugar and soy.

Brazil has around 190,000 farmers registered on the platform.

($1 = 5.1682 reais)