By Brazil Stock Guide – Brazil’s state development bank BNDES approved a R$62 million (US$12.6 million) credit line for Energética Santa Helena, an ethanol and sugar producer based in Nova Andradina, Mato Grosso do Sul. The financing was disclosed by the BNDES news agency and underscores the government’s push to support industrial upgrades in the country’s biofuels industry.
Of the total amount, R$32 million will come from the BNDES Mais Inovação program, a facility designed to finance innovative machinery, automation systems and technology services listed in the bank’s supplier registry. The remaining R$30 million is earmarked for the acquisition of domestically produced or imported industrial equipment without a national equivalent, including trucks and cane harvesters.
BNDES President Aloizio Mercadante said the financing aligns with Brasília’s plan to enhance competitiveness in a sector central to the regional economy. “This loan reaffirms the government’s commitment to strengthening the sugar-energy industry,” he said.
Santa Helena’s CFO Marcelo Maçães Coutinho said the credit package will accelerate the company’s modernization efforts. “This line of credit is more than a financial injection; it is a catalyst for productivity, competitiveness and transformation within the company,” he said. “With these resources, we will accelerate strategic projects and incorporate technologies that directly enhance operational efficiency.”
Santa Helena, a privately held company, has fully mechanized harvesting and employs more than 1,500 workers directly and another 3,000 indirectly. Its industrial complex can process over 2 million tons of sugarcane annually across 39,500 hectares. The company produces hydrated ethanol for fuel, anhydrous ethanol used as a gasoline additive, and—since last year—raw sugar, a diversification move also supported by BNDES.
The company said it maintains environmental monitoring systems for water quality, emissions and waste. Byproducts are incorporated into its circular production chain: bagasse is converted to energy, while vinasse and filter cake are used as fertilizers, helping reduce chemical input dependence.
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