Questions we're asked
Straight answers for counterparties.
The questions banks, buyers and brokers ask before they onboard us. If your question isn't here, write to trading@fontana.trade.
Where does Fontana source its grain?
All Fontana-originated soybean and corn comes from farms in the Cerrado biome of western Bahia, Maranhão, Tocantins and Piauí — the MATOPIBA frontier. Every supplying farm is registered with the Brazilian Cadastro Ambiental Rural (CAR), geo-fenced, and satellite-monitored for deforestation and land-use compliance before we contract with them.
What contract terms do you trade under?
GAFTA 119 for soybean and GAFTA 64 for corn are our default templates for FOB and CIF sales, with English-law arbitration through the London desk. EU-jurisdiction agreements are contracted through the Lisbon parent in EUR. FOSFA contracts apply for soy oil and meal on request. We accept letters of credit through Rabobank, Santander, Banco do Brasil, HSBC and ICBC.
Which ports do you load from?
Santos and Paranaguá for southern MATOPIBA volume, Itaqui and Barcarena for northern-arc volume that saves ~1,500 km of inland freight versus Santos. Terminal access is arranged through partnerships with Bunge, ADM, VLI Multimodal and Hidrovias do Brasil. Loading windows are quoted with each firm offer.
Are you EUDR-compliant?
Yes. Every shipment to the European Union ships with a due-diligence statement compliant with Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, linked to the geo-referenced polygon of the source farm. We are also signatories to the Soy Moratorium and members of the Cerrado Working Group. ProTerra and RTRS certifications are in place for the volumes buyers request them for.
Which currencies do you settle in?
Contracts through the Portuguese parent settle in EUR. The UK subsidiary handles GBP and USD. USD-denominated trades are OFAC-screened at both our compliance layer and the correspondent-bank layer. CNY settlement can be arranged through the London desk for approved Chinese counterparties on a case-by-case basis.
How do we open a KYC file with Fontana?
Email kyc@fontana.trade and we send back the onboarding pack matched to your risk tier. Standard onboarding needs incorporation docs, beneficial ownership at 25%+, officers list, bank reference and two trade references. Standard turnaround is 5 business days from receipt of complete documentation. Full policy: /legal/kyc.html.
Who owns Fontana?
Fontana is a family-owned group founded by the Fontana family in Brazil. The parent company is Fontana Trading Europe, Sociedade Unipessoal Lda. (NIPC 519 541 227), based in Lisbon. It wholly owns Fontana Agronegócios Ltda. in Brazil (CNPJ 54.793.783/0001-37) and Fontana Trading UK Ltd. in London. No external shareholders, no private equity backing.
