BNDES Grants R$150m Loan to Cerradinho Group for Biofuel Expansion

Brazil's National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) has granted a R$150 million loan to Cerradinho Group, a leading biofuel producer in Brazil. The funds will be used to modernize and expand production at the company's plants in Chapadão do Céu, Goiás, and Maracaju, Mato Grosso do Sul.

The R$50 million loan under the BNDES Mais Inovação program will be directed towards Neomille, Cerradinho Group's corn ethanol subsidiary. The funds will be used to purchase machinery, equipment, and technological services.

BNDES President Aloizio Mercadante stated that these investments are aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions using Brazilian technology.

CerradinhoBio, the company's largest producer of corn ethanol, has seen significant growth in recent years. In the 2025/26 harvest, the company's net profit rose 90% to R$372.7 million, with its corn business accounting for 70% of earnings during the period.

This is not CerradinhoBio's first financing package from BNDES. In October 2025, the bank approved a R$300 million financing package to increase the plant's capacity by 30%, reaching 1.2 million tonnes of corn processed per year.