Canadian fertilizer company Nutrien has announced that it will leave Argentina, Chile and Uruguay
Brazil
Ministry of Agriculture has published a list of 77 pesticide registration requests of equivalent technical products. (MAPA)
Rodrigo Alandia, a specialist in application technology, will be the new leader of marketing and new business development at Orion, specialized in equipment for applying biologicals in the planting furrow. (Orion)
Increase in cases of “soybean anomaly” in the South region worries farmers. The disease, which involves the breaking of stems and rotting of soybean grains, was previously only observed in some regions of the State of Mato Grosso, but has now been detected in São Pedro do Ivaí, State of Paraná, and Cruz Alta and Júlio de Castilhos, State of Rio Grande do Sul. “With the arrival of the soybean anomaly in southern Brazil, it is essential that farmers observe what happened in Mato Grosso, where the problem reduced yields by up to 40% in recent years”, according to Bruno Zuntini, fungicide portfolio leader at Syngenta Crop Protection. (Syngenta)
EuroChem Brasil, manufacturer of mineral fertilizers, has announced agronomist Maicon Cossa as its new commercial vice president. Cossa will have to report directly to the company’s CEO, Gustavo Horbach. Rogério Pompermayer is the company’s new commercial director in Brazil. (EuroChem Brasil)
Ministry of Agriculture has published four cancellations of pesticide registration requests, and three registration cancellations. (MAPA)
ICL has announced a partnership with the startup Ideelab Biotecnologia, focused on innovative technologies for bioinputs. The objective is to develop six new products over the next three years. (ICL Group)
Unigel defended the contract signed with Petrobras and denied the existence of “any irregularities” in the agreement regarding industrialization services for nitrogen fertilizer factories at the States of Bahia and Sergipe. This declaration comes two months after the Brazilian Federal Court of Auditors requested the suspension of the partnership between the companies due to suspected irregularities, which could result in US$ 93.92 million in losses for Petrobras. Unigel claims that it has suffered serious losses during 2023 and 2024, caused by the downward cycle of the global petrochemical market. (Unigel)
Anvisa approves the toxicological evaluation of a new formulated product – active ingredient not yet registered in the country – based on nonanoic acid, from Globachem. (Anvisa)
10th Abisolo Forum and Exhibition will present lectures on innovation, economic sustainability and market intelligence, on June 5th and 6th, in Campinas, State of São Paulo. Lecture “Mineral Nutrition and Plant Diseases” will be presented by the professor at the Federal University of Viçosa, Fabrício Ávila Rodrigues. Presentation will address the relationships between plant diseases, beneficial macro, micro and nano nutrients, etc. “My intention is for participants to expand their understanding of plant nutrition and innovative and sustainable strategies for managing plant diseases”, said Rodrigues. (Abisolo)
Syngenta offers US$ 1 billion to Brazilian farmers of soybeans, corn, cotton and coffee, in the barter modality in the 2024/25 season. The company will also have a minimum price guarantee mechanism for commodities. In 2023, the company traded approximately US$ 850 million with barter operations. (Syngenta)
Ministry of the Environment announces “Public Hearing to discuss the draft ordinance that establishes the qualification criteria for entities managing reverse logistics systems for packages in general and the parameters to be observed by these entities in performing their duties, in scope of the reverse logistics systems referred to in article No. 33 of Law No. 12305, of August 2nd, 2010″. (Ministry of the Environment)
High incidence of the boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis) is alarming cotton farmers in the State of Bahia and Mato Grosso. According to Ihara’s agronomist and regional marketing manager, Roberto Rodrigues, the boll weevil’s proliferation occurred due to late populations from the previous crop, which joined new colonies, and due to adverse climatic conditions, which make controlling the pest difficult. “Other aggravating factors are linked to the increase in the cotton farming area this season and its [the insect’s] high reproduction capacity. As a result, all cotton areas are being impacted by the increase of the boll weevil, an insect that attacks the entire reproductive cycle of the crop, and can compromise production almost completely if it is not managed correctly”, said Rodrigues. (Ihara)
According to Marcelo Giuliano Sousa, general manager at Viter Agro, the company has inaugurated a factory in Itaperuçu, State of Paraná, with the capacity to manufacture 600 thousand tonnes of agricultural limestone per year. “By offering fine limestone with a high magnesium content, as well as a homogeneous mixture of limestone and gypsum, we simplify the operation of farmers in the region who want to correct and nourish the soil more quickly and efficiently for better performance in their crops”, said Sousa. (Viter Agro)
Rice farmers in the State of Santa Catarina are detecting an increase of rice delphacid (Tagosodes orizicolus) in their crops. According to Jordanis Hoffmann, agronomist and technical department manager at Cooperja, the largest rice cooperative in Brazil, the insect’s presence has intensified in recent weeks, showing a higher frequency than in other seasons. “It’s a small insect, measuring 3mm to 4mm… It’s not a new rice pest. However, in the case of Brazil, it is much more recent, especially in farms in Santa Catarina, where the worst case of a population outbreak was in the north of the State, in Garuva, in the 2018/19 season. Today, there is notification of its presence in all rice farming areas in Santa Catarina… This insect has good migratory capacity, through wind currents, and proliferation, so its multiplication is very fast”. (Cooperja)
Fertilizer Purchasing Power Index – IPCF, calculated by The Mosaic Company, reached 1.02 in March of 2024. This represents a growth of 5% when compared to the same period of 2023, and an increase of 1% when compared to February of 2024. There was an average increase in fertilizer prices of 1.5%, and a 0.6% drop in the average price of agricultural commodities. The IPCF is released monthly, and represents the relationship between price indicators of fertilizers and agricultural commodities, considering the main Brazilian crops, such as soybeans, corn, sugar, ethanol and cotton. (The Mosaic Company)
Sugarcane farms use more biological nematicides than chemical ones in Brazil. In 2023, bionematicides represented 64% of sales of all nematicides for sugarcane, reaching the second highest value in sales in the market in five years, US$ 77.74 million. “It took a long time for farmers to become aware of the problem, and to identify and make an investment decision, or to become aware of the losses if nothing was done”, according to Lucas Montrasio, market intelligence analyst at Kynetec. (Kynetec Brasil)
Federal Police seized 575 tonnes of illegal pesticides in 2023, which is an increase of 180% when compared to 2022. Authorities involved in combating the illegal market say that, usually, shopkeepers and farmers who purchase illegal pesticides are aware of what they are doing. The Ministry of Agriculture does not have an estimate on the size of the illegal pesticide market, but the Institute for Economic and Social Development of Borders calculates that the share of the market served by illegal products is approximately 25%. (Federal Police; Idesf)
Rectification was published regarding Pesticides Law No. 14785/2023, Article No. 52, which provides for administrative infractions and applicable punishments. “Partial rectification of Law No. 14785 of December 27th of 2023… due to material inaccuracies in the autographs approved by the Federal Senate, according to Official Letter No. 1443 (SF), of December 29th of 2023, from the First Secretariat of the Federal Senate”. (Presidency of the Republic)
Cattle rancher, owner of 11 farms in the State of Mato Grosso, was accused of deforestation of Pantanal (Brazilian Cerrado Biome) areas to plant pastures. According to the State’s Environmental Secretariat, the accused used 25 different pesticides to deforest approximately 80 thousand hectares. This was the greatest environmental damage ever recorded in the state, according to the Public Ministry of Mato Grosso. Since 2019, the rancher has accumulated 15 fines for damages to the environment, and will have to pay at least US$ 540 million in fines. (Public Ministry of Mato Grosso; Environmental Secretariat of Mato Grosso)
Developed by Embrapa and Innova Agrotecnologia, “Combio” is the first bioinput for soybean with two functions in Brazil: growth stimulation and protection against fungi. It is a combination of three bacterial strains, which act in biological nitrogen fixation and in promoting plant growth: BR 29 (Bradyrhizobium elkanii), BR 10788 (Bacillus subtilis) and BR 10141 (Paraburkholderia nodosa). “The difference with this inoculant is that we include bacteria that perform several stimulating mechanisms and that also protect the seeds during the soil emergence phase, preventing attacks from opportunistic fungi”, said researcher Jerri Zilli, from Embrapa. (Embrapa; Innova Agrotecnologia)
Ports of Paraná State reached a record in March, with the movement (import and export) of 5,968,934 tonnes of cargo, an increase of 11% when compared to the same month of 2023. This is the eighth consecutive month with growth. Soybean and sugar have boosted exports. Fertilizers were the most imported products in the 1Q/2024, with a 18% growth in imports in March, totaling 888,506 tonnes. Port of Paranaguá was the main gateway for fertilizers in the period, accounting for 26% of Brazilian imports. (Ports of Paraná; Comex Stat)
According to the president of Petrobras, Jean Paul Prates, the bidding process to complete the work on the Nitrogenous Fertilizers Unit in Três Lagoas, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, should begin in December of 2024. The aim is for the factory to begin operating in 2028. (Petrobras)
According to an investigation by the NGO Repórter Brasil, pesticides are being sold illegally on online sales platforms, such as Mercado Livre. “These pesticides do not have a guarantee of agronomic efficiency, they do not undergo quality and environmental impact tests. There are a multitude of risks and impacts that illegal pesticides bring or can bring to the farmers”, said Nilto Mendes, manager of illegal products prevention at CropLife Brasil. (NGO Repórter Brasil; CropLife Brasil)
According to the report “Cancelled Pesticide Registrations”, prepared by AllierBrasil Consulting, 177 pesticide registrations were canceled in 2023: 48 technical products and 129 formulated products. (AllierBrasil Consulting)
Latin America
Jose Fabretti is the new president of Sumitomo in Latin America, leaving his position as vice president. Juan Ferreira became global managing executive officer, and Nairo Rojas is the new vice president of Agro Solutions for Latin America. Luís Henrique Rahmeier was promoted to R&D director for the region. (Sumitomo Chemical)
Marcus Fiorini is the new regional commercialization leader for Latin America at Corteva. (Corteva Agriscience)
Canadian fertilizer company Nutrien has announced that it will leave Argentina, Chile and Uruguay to prioritize production in Brazil and other markets. “We are simplifying and focusing our business strategy, prioritizing the markets and opportunities that best align with our integrated model, seeking to increase growth and increase shareholder value”, according to a company statement. (Nutrien)
Research performed by the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, indicated there are at least 24 species of herbicide resistant weeds in the country, mainly in Buenos Aires, Santa Fé and Córdoba. The highest number of cases occurs with glyphosate, in the case of soybeans and grasses. “Since 2010, the number of herbicide resistant species has continually increased”, said Fernando Oreja, research coordinator. According to him, resistant weeds related to wheat farming predominate in Buenos Aires, while in Córdoba and Santa Fé species associated with soybean and corn farming predominate. (UBA)
Carlos Danilowicz is the new CEO of Rainbow Argentina, leaving Adama. According to a company note, “South America, especially Brazil and Argentina, is the most important strategic market region for Rainbow”. (Rainbow Agro)
Minister of Economy of Argentina, Luis Caputo, announces lower taxes on the import of atrazine, glyphosate and 2,4-D. Taxes will be reduced from 35% to 12.6%. In the case of primary atrazine, the reduction will be from 24% to 10.8%. (Ministry of Economy)
More than 500,000 hives were affected by agrochemicals during 2024 in Yucatán, Mexico. “There is evidence that aerial sprayings were carried out on corn farms… and we run the risk that the honey is contaminated with pesticide residues”, according to Marco Cupul, from the Alliance for the Bees of the Yucatán Peninsula. Neonicotinoids and fipronil are seen as the main products responsible for the mortality of bees in the region. (Agleam)
In the 1Q/2024, Rainbow obtained more than 250 pesticide registrations, with a highlight to Mexico (35), Argentina (3), Ecuador (3), Peru (3), Indonesia (20), Thailand (8), Australia (13), Russia (2), Kazakhstan (4), Serbia (9), Turkey (10), and Zimbabwe (16). (Rainbow Agro)
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