EP 114 - Soja, batata e café: os desafios de crescer no agronegócio — com Marlon Manica

In episode 114 of the Agro em Debate podcast, recorded in a special edition at Bahia Farm Show, we welcome Marlon Manica for an in-depth conversation about his family's journey in agribusiness, a story marked by humble origins, hard work, resilience, a vision for the future, and responsible growth. Throughout this episode, Marlon Manica shares his family's journey from their Italian origins, through their time in Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná, to their arrival in the PADF region of the Federal District, and subsequently the consolidation of their operations in Minas Gerais. The conversation shows how a family that started small, working with leased land and simple structures, built a diversified and solid agricultural operation over the years. Marlon also talks about soybeans, coffee, potatoes, cattle, their own storage, irrigation, soil correction, risk management, family succession, and the importance of growing without excessive leverage. The episode offers a practical view on diversification in agriculture, showing how different crops can complement each other within a long-term strategy. If you work in agriculture, this episode features an inspiring story about work, family, business vision, rural management, resilience, and the challenges of building a large, down-to-earth agricultural operation. Subscribe to the channel, turn on notifications, and share this episode with anyone involved in agribusiness. 00:00 Episode opening at Bahia Farm Show 00:01:00 Introduction by Marlon Manica 00:02:00 The Italian origin of the Manica family 00:03:00 The family's arrival in Rio Grande do Sul 00:04:00 The wheat mill and the family's first jobs 00:05:00 The move to Paraná and the beginning with leased areas 00:06:00 The passage through PADF in the Federal District 00:07:00 The first 300-hectare plot for eight siblings 00:08:00 The purchase of the first farm in Unaí 00:09:00 The challenges of access and infrastructure at the beginning 00:10:00 The separation of the family business and the growth of the operation 00:11:00 From a small structure to 23,000 hectares per year 00:12:00 The importance of not working with leverage 00:13:00 The entry into Potato branch 00:14:00 How the family entered the potato business 00:15:00 The risk of potatoes and the high cost per hectare 00:16:00 Irrigated coffee in Minas Gerais 00:17:00 Why coffee requires capital and patience 00:18:00 How to hold coffee during low price periods 00:19:00 Beans, cold storage and storage strategy 00:20:00 The volatility of potato prices 00:21:00 Comparison between the cost of soybeans and the cost of potatoes 00:22:00 When potatoes cause losses and when they reach their peak 00:23:00 German technology in potato harvesting 00:24:00 Classification, washing and marketing of potatoes 00:25:00 Wholesale markets, supermarkets and restaurants 00:26:00 The operation with elite cattle 00:27:00 The father's passion Marlon for cattle 00:28:00 Sale of calves and feedlots 00:29:00 Seed corn production with contract 00:30:00 Sorghum, brachiaria and integration with cattle 00:31:00 The role of brachiaria in soil health 00:32:00 Soybean productivity and an average of 89 sacks per hectare 00:33:00 Irrigated area, rainfed area and annual production turnover 00:34:00 Production cost and operational efficiency 00:35:00 Soil correction over 20 years 00:36:00 Gypsum, limestone and base saturation 00:37:00 How well-corrected soil helps during droughts 00:38:00 2026/27 harvest, El Niño and caution in investments 00:39:00 A year of crossing in Agribusiness 00:40:00 Grain storage capacity 00:41:00 The seven cold storage chambers for potatoes 00:42:00 Own land, leasing and property security 00:43:00 Why high rent can compromise margins 00:44:00 How the family went from leasing to owning land 00:45:00 The initial dream of having 300 hectares 00:46:00 The main lessons left by Marlon's father 00:47:00 Work, vision and growth with responsibility 00:48:00 Resilience and diversification as a strategy in agribusiness 00:49:00 Closing and thanks to the guest Follow us on Instagram: @joaodomingosadvogados Website: https://www.joaodomingosadv.com/ Contact: (62) 3215-9414 | (62) 99675-6806