Brazil Accounts for Over 20% of Global Biocontrol Growth
The Ministry of Agriculture authorized José Victor Alves Costa, general coordinator of pesticides and related products at the Secretariat of Agricultural Defense, to participate in the 17th Annual Chemical Regulation Conference, in Hangzhou, China. The conference will be held from September 8th to 12th. Travel expenses will be covered by REACH24H Consulting Group. (Official Gazette, Orders from 08/19/25, MAPA)
In compliance with court decisions, Anvisa approves toxicological evaluations of technical clomazone from Brilliance; and 2,4-D + picloram by Proregistros. (DOU, Resolutions No. 3093 and 3094 from August 14th, 2025, Anvisa)
Brazilian bioinputs market is to exceed US$ 3 billion by 2030. “Brazil accounts for over 20% of global biocontrol growth between 2021 and 2030,” said Mark Trimmer, co-founder of DunhamTrimmer, a market research firm. The Latin American agricultural bioinputs market is undergoing accelerated expansion, with Brazil standing out as the main global growth driver. (DunhamTrimmer)
Fertilizantes Heringer reported a net loss of US$ 5.3 million in 2Q2025, 91.6% lower than the US$ 62.6 million loss recorded in the same period last year. Net revenue fell 5.9% year-on-year, totaling US$ 127.9 million. (Fertilizantes Heringer)
Marcos de Faria, a researcher at Embrapa Meio Ambiente, spoke about biological pest control during the 16th Brasil AgrochemShow, on August 13th, in São Paulo city. Faria detailed how biological and agrochemicals can be used together in the IPM strategies, warning that incompatible agrochemicals harm the survival and/or vigor of biological control agents. During the event, lectures were also given on agrochemical registration, judicial recovery in agriculture, the impacts of Trump’s tariffs… (16th Brasil AgrochemShow)
BASF, Corteva Agriscience and M.S. Technologies announced a licensing agreement to incorporate nematode resistance traits into Enlist E3 and Conkesta E3 soybean varieties, targeting the Brazilian market. According to the companies, this is the first biotech solution against root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus brachyurus) and soybean cyst nematodes (Heterodera glycines). (BASF)
Fábio Kagi, Regulatory Affairs Manager at Sindiveg, warned of the increasing risk of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in corn. The pest has shown resistance to some technologies and attacks earlier, damaging leaves, cobs and plant stems, which may compromise productivity. (Sindiveg)
Mosaic announced an agreement to sell its Taquari-Vassouras potash mine in Rosário do Catete, in the State of Sergipe, to VL Mineração Ltda. VL Mineração will pay up to US$ 27 million, including US$ 12 million at closing, US$ 10 million after one year, and US$ 5 million over six years, while assuming US$ 22 million in asset decommissioning liabilities. The deal requires CADE approval. (The Mosaic Company)
Anvisa rejects post-registration processes for New Biochemical Products – active ingredients not yet registered in the country: coronatin product, from Biorisk; and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens product, from Simbiose. (DOU, Resolution No. 3014 of 08/07/2025, Anvisa)
According to data released by the National Association for Fertilizer Distribution, fertilizer deliveries to the Brazilian market reached 15.83 million tonnes from January to May 2025, an increase of 11.4% over the same period in 2024, when 14.20 million tonnes were recorded. In May alone, deliveries totaled 3.70 million tonnes, representing a monthly increase of 13.8%. The State of Mato Grosso led deliveries, accounting for 24% of the national total with 3.80 million tonnes. In addition to the growth in deliveries, national production of intermediate fertilizers also advanced: in May, production reached 658,000 tonnes, up 20.1% compared to May 2024. (ANDA)
Vittia, a Brazilian biological inputs company, registered a net loss of US$ 3.9 million in 2Q of 2025, compared with a loss of US$ 3.2 million in the same period last year. (Vittia)
Researchers at the Experimental Station of the Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Company of Santa Catarina in Itajaí, in the State of Santa Catarina, are conducting research to create a biological fungus-based product to control the grain bug (Oebalus poecilus) in irrigated rice crops. The project “Prospecting and bioprospecting of microorganisms to control the rice bug in irrigated rice crops in SC” seeks to reduce production costs, improve grain quality, and reduce the risk of water and soil contamination. (Epagri)
National Association of Agricultural and Veterinary Input Distributors and the State Agency for Animal and Plant Health Defense of Mato Grosso do Sul renewed their technical cooperation agreement. The agreement, signed with the aim of strengthening the partnership between the entities, aims to share experiences and information essential for the distribution of agricultural inputs in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. The signing ceremony was attended by the CEO of Iagro, Daniel Ingold, and the Director of Andav, Luis Fernando Bastos. (Andav)
Brado ended the 1H2025 with notable growth in the transport of agricultural pesticides and cotton lint. The transport of agricultural pesticides grew 50% compared to the 1H2024, exceeding 1,200 transported containers. “Our rail-based multimodal solution ensures the safety of high value-added cargo. In 2025, we did not record any cases of theft or robbery of agricultural input cargo,” said Vinicius Cordeiro, the company’s commercial executive manager. (Brado Logistics)
Survey on the 2024/2025 harvest recorded a drop of 4.3% in the agricultural pesticide market for soybeans. US$ 9.45 billion worth of products were traded, compared to US$ 9.87 billion in the 2023/24 cycle. On the other hand, the potential area treated grew by 12% and exceeded 1.4 billion hectares, a new record, according to the company’s research specialist, Cristiano Limberger. (Kynetec Brasil)
Study by the State University of São Paulo’s Chemistry Institute shows that adjusting the timing of herbicide application according to the “biological clock of plants” can increase the effectiveness of the products. The technique, known as chronotoxicity, consists of using agrochemicals at exactly the time of day when plants are most sensitive to the product. (USP)
Months leading up to the 2025/26 harvest have been marked by strong upward pressure on fertilizer costs in Brazil. Between January and mid-August, urea prices at Brazilian ports rose by around 33%. During the same period, monoammonium phosphate rose 19%, while potassium chloride rose 20%. According to Market Intelligence analyst Tomás Pernías, the terms of trade between soybeans and MAP are already at their worst levels in recent years, a situation that tends to inhibit consumption of this fertilizer and make farmers cautious about planning new purchases of inputs. “Indian demand has sustained the prices of this nitrogen fertilizer, and this, combined with a drop in the price of corn, has reduced the attractiveness of trade ratios in Brazil.” (StoneX Consultoria)
SITE-MLog, the logistics data platform serving Brazilian agricultural production, organized by Embrapa Territorial, has gained two new information panels. The first presents silicate agromineral products registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. The second provides access to scientific studies on the subject. Both are part of the Nutrient Logistics section, which already contained a map of potential regional sources of this type of material. (Embrapa)
UPL became the first multinational agricultural company in Brazil to fully neutralize its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions for the year 2024. (UPL Brazil)
Fundacentro is promoting the course “Agrochemicals, Health, and the Environment” on August 26th and 27th. The initiative seeks to present the risks and dangers of using agrochemicals in the workplace and the environment, in addition to discussing models for protecting the health of workers and the general population. The course will be held in a hybrid format, in person in Pinheiros, São Paulo city, and through distance learning, using the Moodle platform. It is coordinated by the Director of Knowledge and Technology, Remígio Todeschini, and the Project Coordinator, Cleiton Faria Lima. (Fundacentro)
In July, average prices of pesticides fell by 1.18%, with insecticides falling by 1.87% compared to June. From January to July, the total index fell by 3.25%, with insecticides falling by 5.26%. (Kynetec Brasil)
Research conducted by Esalq-USP concluded the fungus Metarhizium robertsii, in addition to controlling pests, can act as a “vaccine” in sugarcane, inducing chemical defenses and reducing egg laying by the sugarcane borer (Diatraea saccharalis). The study showed changes in jasmonic and salicylic acid levels and in the emission of volatile compounds, which increased the attraction of the wasp Cotesia flavipes, a natural enemy of the pest, while the earwig Doru luteipes showed no significant response. (Esalq-USP)
Four pesticide ongoing registration processes were canceled as per request from the applicants. (DOU, Act No. 34 of 08/12/2025, MAPA)
Pesticide registration holders must keep packaging of technical and formulated products up to date in the Agrofit System or SISPA, following the Guidelines Manual, and packaging not included in the manual must be approved by Ibama. (DOU, Act No. 36 of 08/14/2025, MAPA)
Regional Labor Court of the State of Mato Grosso held a public hearing on Tuesday (19) to discuss the legality of glyphosate use on crops in the state. The debate is part of a public civil action filed in 2019 by the Public Ministry of Labor, the Federal Public Ministry, and the Public Ministry of Mato Grosso against Aprosoja, Famato and Ampa, which are seeking to ban the herbicide. The impacts on health, the legitimacy of the entities, the reliability of scientific studies and alternatives to the product were discussed. The lawsuit also challenges whether the Labor Court can restrict the use of a pesticide authorized by Anvisa. (TRT/MT)
Latin America
Buntech Agro, a company of the BUN Group, based in Indaiatuba, in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, has completed the acquistion of 100% of the CSI Group, comprising four seed treatment companies. Two are Brazilian (Brazil Seed Tech and Coating Supply do Brazil), one is Chilean (Austral Seed Tech), and one is Argentine (Techno Seeds). The value of the transaction was not disclosed. (Buntech Agro)
Agritec Global inaugurated the largest liquid fertilizer plant in the country in Santa Fe, Argentina, with 2,000 m² and state-of-the-art technology, an initial capacity of 35,000 tonnes/year and a projected capacity of up to 75,000 tonnes, six times larger than the previous unit, aiming to optimize logistics, develop new products, and increase innovation. (Agritec Global)
Agrochemicals in Argentina harm Apis mellifera bees, affecting their senses, learning, communication, and genes linked to sociability, reducing foraging, hygiene, reproduction, and food diversity, threatening pollination and agricultural productivity. (Fauba; Conicet)
Chile maintains its status as fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) free and strengthens inspections. The government announced measures to protect the country against pests and diseases, proposing penalties of up to 540 days in prison for anyone who introduces agricultural pests. In 2025, more than 226,000 kg of illegal products were seized in operations coordinated by the Agricultural and Livestock Service. (SAG)
Colombian Institute of Agriculture and the Colombian Association of Seeds and Biotechnology strengthen the urgent use of certified and improved seeds to ensure greater productivity, pest resistance and adaptation to extreme weather conditions in Colombia. (ICA; Acosemillas)
Pesticide theft in Mexico increases by 43% during the high season, between May and September, compared to other months of the year. 81% of thefts are concentrated in four states: Puebla, Guanajuato, Jalisco, and the State of Mexico. These states are not only essential to Mexican agriculture, but are also part of important logistics routes in the central region. One consequence of the increase in thefts is the growing presence of counterfeit pesticides on the market. (Overhaul)
Between January and May 2025, Peru imported US$ 302 million of fertilizers, down 1.2% in value and 11% in volume. Urea totaled US$ 57 million, down 15% in value and 23% in volume, while mineral fertilizers grew 32% in value and 16.5% in volume. Ammonium nitrate fell 61% in value and 57% in volume. (Mincetur)
Study by the Pasteur Institute indicates that intensive agriculture and the use of agrochemicals in Uruguay reduce beneficial fungi, alter soil bacteria, and decrease bacteriophage viruses, compromising fertility and carbon recycling. (Pasteur Institute)
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