How to Import Micronutrient Fertilizers into Brazil

The short version: who can import and register

In Brazil, only a locally established entity can register and sell fertilizers. Micronutrient fertilizers fall under MAPA's regime for fertilizantes, corretivos e inoculantes (fertilizers, correctives and inoculants). According to MAPA's official guidance, imports may generally be carried out by a producer establishment registered with MAPA, or by an importer establishment registered with MAPA, provided the product itself is also registered.

That means two distinct registrations typically sit behind any legal import: a registration of the establishment (the company/facility) and a registration or authorization of the product. A foreign manufacturer cannot hold these directly — they belong to a Brazilian legal entity with a valid CNPJ (the national company tax ID). In practice, the overseas exporter partners with a local importer, distributor, or their own Brazilian subsidiary, who becomes the registrant of record.

Step 1 — Register the company as an establishment with MAPA

The first move is generally for the Brazilian entity to register as a fertilizer establishment. MAPA's official service page describes this as the legal act recognizing that the establishment meets the ministry's requirements to produce, import, market or export these inputs. The request is filed through MAPA's SIPEAGRO system and reviewed by the regional Agricultural Input Inspection Service (SFA), and typically includes an on-site facility inspection where applicable.

Trade-facilitation sources describe the practical prerequisites as, generally: a regularized CNPJ, suitable storage and handling infrastructure that meets MAPA's requirements, and a qualified responsible technician (commonly an agronomist or chemist) named as technical manager. Establishment registration typically must be kept current and periodically renewed. Confirm the current eligibility criteria against Instrução Normativa nº 53/2013 and MAPA's live guidance.

Step 2 — Register or authorize the product

Once the establishment is in order, the specific micronutrient products intended for import are generally registered so they comply with Brazilian standards. For mineral fertilizers — the category most sulphate, borate, chelate and soluble-NPK micronutrient products fall into — the guaranteed nutrient contents and specifications are set out in Instrução Normativa nº 39/2018. That instruction expressly addresses micronutrients, and requires the manufacturer or importer to declare guaranteed total (and, for micronutrients, soluble) contents on the label and accompanying documents.

Documentation for product registration typically centers on the guaranteed formula and detailed chemical composition, physicochemical specifications, analysis reports, and proposed label and packaging. This is precisely where the supplier's technical dossier matters: the local registrant builds the application around the manufacturer's data. Registration review can take several weeks and depends on the completeness of the file and MAPA's workload — treat any timeline as indicative, not guaranteed.

Step 3 — Import authorization and the foreign-trade portal

With establishment and product registrations in place, the actual shipment is cleared through Brazil's foreign-trade systems. MAPA's guidance indicates that the importer requests a prior MAPA import authorization (anuência) through the Portal Único de Comércio Exterior / SISCOMEX (the Integrated Foreign Trade System), and that this authorization is linked to the prior registration of the product. This authorization has historically been obtained via an Import License (LI), and as of 2026 the mechanism is migrating to the LPCO module (Licenças, Permissões, Certificados e Outros Documentos), integrated with the DUIMP — so confirm the current instrument with your broker and MAPA. MAPA authorization is generally requested in advance through Portal Único/SISCOMEX; depending on the product and modality it may be required before shipment or before arrival — confirm the timing for your specific goods with your broker.

On arrival, MAPA carries out documentary analysis and risk-based inspection to confirm the product matches what was registered and meets quality standards, after which agricultural clearance is granted and the product may circulate and be sold. A local customs broker normally coordinates the import authorization, the shipping and fiscal documents, and the interface with MAPA and customs.

Typical supporting documents

Exact requirements vary by product category and change over time, but the supporting file for a micronutrient fertilizer import commonly draws on documents such as: a Certificate of Analysis (COA), Technical Data Sheet (TDS), Safety Data Sheet (SDS), in Portuguese and following the applicable Brazilian format, a Certificate of Origin, the commercial invoice and shipping documents, and — depending on the case — a manufacturer or free-sale type declaration and third-party test reports (for example SGS). Confirm the precise list with your broker and with MAPA for your specific products.

Where RunziChem fits — and where it does not

To be clear about the division of responsibility: RunziChem does not register your product in Brazil, and cannot. Registration and import authorization belong to the locally registered entity. What RunziChem provides is the supporting technical dossier and materials that the local registrant needs to build a clean application and to satisfy MAPA inspection.

For our zinc, manganese, ferrous, copper and magnesium sulphates, borax and boric acid, EDTA chelates, and water-soluble NPK grades, RunziChem can supply: batch-specific COA, TDS and SDS, product specifications and guaranteed-content data, third-party inspection reports (such as SGS) on request, and samples for your local testing and registration work. Published specifications are typical values and are confirmed per batch on the COA — we do not overstate figures. Your local partner and broker then handle establishment registration, product registration, the LI, and clearance.