US$ 2.7 Billion Fertilizer Project Advances in Argentina
Brazil
Brazil’s Labor Court ordered a 90-day suspension of new registrations and new authorizations for glyphosate-based herbicides and derivatives, including new identical products, phytosanitary extensions and registrations by equivalence. The September 4ᵗʰ decision by Brasília’s 7th Labor Court rejected the Labor Prosecutor’s Office request for an immediate and complete ban on glyphosate. Existing registrations were not cancelled and the ruling did not impose a general prohibition on the production, import, sale or use of products already authorized. The court described the restriction as a “specific measure” that may be reversed or expanded at any time. (TRT-10, ACP No. 0000883-90.2026.5.10.0014 – decision from 9/4/26)
MAPA added the State of Santa Catarina to the list of areas with occurrence of the quarantine pest Amaranthus palmeri and the State of Rio Grande do Sul for Candidatus Liberibacter americanus and Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. The measure updates the list of quarantine pests present under SDA Normative Instruction No. 38/2018 and took effect on September 8ᵗʰ. (Official Gazette of Brazil, SDA/MAPA Ordinance No. 1682 – published on 9/8/26)
Law No. 15496/2026 created the Fertilizer Industry Development Program – Profert, aimed at expanding domestic production of fertilizers and raw materials, remineralizers, biological inputs and biofertilizers and reducing import dependence. The law established mandatory volumetric blending of domestically produced synthetic and mineral fertilizers into fertilizers marketed in Brazil. The requirement begins at 2% on July 1st, 2027, rises to 10% by January 1st, 2037 and may range from 10% to 30% from 2038. The law also authorized reimbursable financing through the Brazilian Development Bank, subject to budget availability and regulation. The enacted text did not retain the tax-credit authorization included in an earlier substitute bill approved by the Chamber of Deputies. (Official Gazette of Brazil, Law No. 15496 – published on 9/4/26)
Crop protection sales for second-crop corn in Brazil reached US$ 2.86 billion in 2026, up 18% from the previous season, the highest level in the Kynetec historical series. In Brazilian reais, sales reached R$ 15.4 billion, up 13% year over year. Planted area in surveyed regions increased 1% to 17.4 million hectares, while potential treated area reached 425 million hectares (+8%). Nematicides reached 51% of planted area, with growth driven mainly by biological products. The survey included approximately 2.3 K farmers, managers and decision-makers and covered 95% of the official crop area. (Kynetec)
UPL made an additional US$ 86.7 million investment in Sinova Inovações Agrícolas, increasing shares from 49.97% to 55.81%. The funds were intended to support working capital and reduce debt at the Brazilian distributor of crop protection products and other agricultural inputs, which has a strong presence in the Cerrado region. (UPL)
Embrapa and partner institutions advanced research on gene editing of microorganisms for bioinputs, particularly bacteria used in biological nitrogen fixation. According to Alexandre Nepomuceno, from Embrapa Soybean and CTNBio, more than 50% of gene-editing submissions currently filed with the commission involve microorganisms. Research seeks to improve bacteria already used in agriculture and expand applications to other crops. (Embrapa)
Research identified 14 Trichoderma isolates from the Caatinga biome with potential for plant disease control and biofungicide development. Fungi collected from native areas and melon fields showed antagonistic activity against microorganisms associated with rots and wilts. Isolates from cultivated areas showed greater heat tolerance and some had high spore production, a relevant characteristic for commercial production. (Embrapa)
Fundecitrus recorded a 372% increase in Asian citrus psyllid captures in the second half of August in the citrus belt of the State of São Paulo and the State of Minas Gerais. The average increased from 1.30 to 6.13 insects per trap from the previous two-week period. The organization recommended intensifying control of the greening vector and rotating insecticides with different modes of action to reduce selection for resistant populations. (Fundecitrus)
MAPA recognized the entire State of Rio Grande do Norte as an area under a Risk Mitigation System for citrus canker and revoked the previous eradication status. Separately, Cabixi, Chupinguaia, Corumbiara, Jaru, Rolim de Moura and Seringueiras, in the State of Rondônia, were recognized as areas under eradication. The changes affect the phytosanitary framework applied to production and transport of citrus and of propagation material. (Official Gazette of Brazil, SDA/MAPA Ordinances No. 1678 and No. 1680 – published on 9/2/26)
Ibama removed the requirement for specific federal authorization for most actions to control or eradicate invasive plants. Prior authorization remains necessary when an intervention could affect threatened native species. Use of pesticides and environmental control products remains subject to registration, label instructions and an agronomic prescription when required. Notification to Ibama within ten days after an action begins will become mandatory only when the electronic system is available. (Official Gazette of Brazil, Ibama Normative Instruction No. 14 – published on 9/2/26)
Region 2 of the State of Paraná, covering the North, Northwest, Center-West and West, ended the soybean sanitary fallow period on August 31st and opened the 2026/27 sowing window on September 1st, which runs through December 31st. Sowing begins on September 11th in the Southwest and September 20th in the South, East, Campos Gerais and Coast. The sanitary break seeks to reduce inoculum of Phakopsora pachyrhizi, which causes Asian soybean rust. (Adapar; MAPA)
Veríssimo Gibran Mendes de Sá was promoted by Corteva to Global Stewardship Portfolio Leader for grains, rice and specialty herbicides. (Corteva)
Daniel Olivier was appointed Bayer Global Soybean Strategy Manager, while Gabriel Vieira Fernandez Pereira Silva was appointed Global Head of Strategy and Innovation at Ruveon, Bayer’s glyphosate business. (Bayer)
Fertilizer deliveries to the Brazilian market totaled 19.02 million tonnes in the first half of 2026, down 5.4% from the same period of 2025. In June, deliveries fell 17.2% year over year, from 4.29 million to 3.55 million tonnes. Domestic production of intermediate fertilizers declined 16.3% in the first half to 2.94 million tonnes, while imports fell 4.2% to 17.69 million tonnes. The decline reflected geopolitical conditions, unfavorable barter ratios, limited credit, bankruptcy protection risks, high interest rates and climate risks. (ANDA)
Research selected Crocidosema sp. caterpillars in the laboratory with more than 15 K-fold resistance to Cry2Ab2, a substance produced by genetically modified Bt soybean to kill certain caterpillars. The insects were originally collected from non-GM soybean in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Despite resistance to Cry2Ab2, they remained susceptible to other Bt substances tested. The study also found no major disadvantages in the development or reproduction of resistant insects, which could favor persistence of resistance in the field. (UFSM; Bayer Crop Science)
Fertilizer industry associations estimated that deliveries in Brazil could fall between 10% and 20%, depending on the crop, region and farmers’ financial conditions. AMA Brasil, Sindiadubos, Siargs, Siacesp and Siacan attributed the risk to high interest rates, tighter and more expensive credit, rising costs and pressure on margins. According to the organizations, there is no risk of a physical fertilizer shortage and the main concern is farmers’ purchasing capacity. (AMA Brasil; Sindiadubos; Siargs; Siacesp; Siacan)
Sumitomo Chemical plans to double the size of the Brazilian operation by 2030, after generating approximately US$ 760 million in revenue in 2025. The company expects 7%-8% growth in 2026 and is expanding the “BioRationals portfolio”, which accounts for approximately 18% of sales volume and 25% of results in the country. In September, the company launched an abscisic acid-based plant growth regulator for soybean and corn. (Sumitomo Chemical)
Anvisa approved, in compliance with court decisions, the toxicological evaluations of two equivalent formulated pesticides: one based on bifenthrin 400 g/L, from Zhongshan; and another based on diclosulam 25 g/L and triclopyr-butotyl 667.4 g/L, from Tecnomyl. (Official Gazette of Brazil, Anvisa Resolutions-RE No. 3,486 and No. 3,487 – published on 9/8/26)
MAPA published 80 pesticide registration applications filed between March and August 2026, including herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, acaricides and plant growth regulators. (Official Gazette of Brazil, CGAA Act No. 52 – published on 9/4/26, MAPA)
Bayer expects to introduce in Brazil in the 2027/28 season a new generation of soybean biotechnology combining tolerance to five herbicides with five proteins for insect protection. Two proteins, Cry1A.2 and Cry1B.2, have not previously been commercially used in soybean and expand control of caterpillars including Rachiplusia nu, Spodoptera eridania and Elasmopalpus lignosellus. (Bayer)
Brazilian farmers have purchased approximately 90% of fertilizer requirements for the 2026/27 soybean, while purchases for the 2027 second corn crop reached approximately 45%, according to Agrinvest. Tight and expensive credit is currently the main constraint on additional purchases. (Agrinvest)
Latin America
The Brazil–Argentina Bioinputs Mission brought together more than 100 participants and held business meetings between Brazilian companies and potential Argentine partners. The agenda also covered regulation, quality, innovation and market development and included a visit to the Gorina Experimental Station in La Plata. The mission was organized by Renera, an initiative of CropLife Brasil and ApexBrasil. (CropLife Brasil; Renera)
Corteva anunciou novas lideranças para a América Latina após separação da companhia, prevista para 1º/10/26. Roberto Hun presidirá a Vylor, futura empresa de sementes e genética, na região, enquanto Felipe Daltro comandará a nova Corteva, focada em proteção de cultivos. William Weber e Tiago Gontijo irão liderar, respectivamente, Vylor e Corteva no Brasil e Paraguai. (Corteva)
Corteva announced new Latin American leadership ahead of the company’s planned separation on October 1ˢᵗ, 2026. Roberto Hun will lead Vylor, the future seeds and genetics company, in the region, while Felipe Daltro will head the new Corteva, focused on crop protection. William Weber and Tiago Gontijo will lead Vylor and Corteva, respectively, in Brazil and Paraguay. (Corteva)
DunhamTrimmer Bio Intelligence analysis of the Latin American biostimulant and biocontrol market indicates that growth in biological product adoption has not automatically translated into greater profitability amid price pressure, new competitors and commoditization. According to Manel Cervera, managing partner at the consultancy, value creation is expected to shift from individual products toward systems integrating nutrition, biology, crop protection, application and operational compatibility. The analysis was presented at a congress in Ica, Peru, on September 2nd. (DunhamTrimmer Bio Intelligence; Manel Cervera)
National Service for Agrifood Health and Quality – Senasa in Argentina warned about the spread of Pilosella officinarum, an invasive plant classified as a quarantine pest present in the country, particularly in Tierra del Fuego steppe pastures. The species forms continuous patches, displaces native vegetation and competes for water and nutrients, reducing forage availability and biodiversity. The agency requested reports of new areas where the weed occurs. (Senasa)
Aapresid trials in Argentina indicated strong antagonism when grass herbicides were mixed with certain 2,4-D formulations. Johnsongrass control with haloxyfop declined from 93% to 65% and with clethodim from 95% to 60% when combined with amine salt-based 2,4-D formulations. Halauxifen-methyl showed lower antagonism, while the association recommended sequential applications when 2,4-D is required. (Aapresid)
Pampa Energía obtained approval from the Argentine government to include subsidiary Fértil Pampa’s approximately US$ 2.7 billion fertilizer complex in Bahía Blanca under the Large Investment Incentive Regime – RIGI. The approval allows the project to access the tax, customs and foreign-exchange benefits provided by the regime. The project includes two urea units with combined capacity of 2.1 million tonnes per year and an ammonia plant supplied with natural gas from Vaca Muerta. Investments are scheduled through 2029. (Ministry of Economy; Pampa Energía)
Profertil, the largest urea manufacturer in Argentina, raised US$ 90.37 million through a bond issuance, above the initially planned US$ 70 million. The company received offers totaling US$ 94.36 million. The bonds have a 42-month term and a fixed annual interest rate of 5.50%. Proceeds will fund working capital, gas transportation and operational maintenance of nitrogen fertilizer production. (Profertil)
Facyt inaugurated a microgranulated fertilizer plant in Córdoba, Argentina, following an investment of more than US$ 10 million. The facility uses equipment imported from Germany, England and the Netherlands and is expected to produce approximately 45-50 tonnes per day in one shift. The company is also evaluating expansion into Brazil through a partnership or joint venture. (Facyt; Héctor Laca)
Agricultural and Livestock Service – SAG in Chile began enforcing on August 28th new requirements for fertilizers and biostimulants under Law No. 21,349 and Decree No. 61. Manufacturers, importers, sellers, distributors and exporters must comply with requirements covering composition, quality parameters, contaminants, labeling and traceability, including batch number, manufacturing date and expiration date. (SAG)
Agricultural and Livestock Service – SAG authorized for the first time in Tarapacá, Chile, cold quarantine treatment for fruit produced in an area regulated for Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata). The procedure was applied to 2.8 K kg of oranges, mandarin-grapefruit hybrids and grapefruits maintained between 1.1°C and 2.2°C for 15 days. The treatment allows the fruit to be marketed despite restrictions associated with the eradication campaign. (SAG)
State Phytosanitary Service – SFE in Costa Rica invested approximately US$ 918 K to modernize laboratories for pesticide residues and agrochemical quality control. The residue laboratory received an LC-MS/MS system costing more than US$ 567 K to expand identification and quantification of residues in fruits and vegetables, while the quality-control laboratory received an approximately US$ 351 K UHPLC-MS/MS system for analyses of active ingredients and impurities in pesticides. (SFE; MAG)
Bolivia and Peru launched an electronic phytosanitary certificate – ePhyto at the Desaguadero border crossing. The system replaces physical certificates with direct digital transmission through the global hub of the International Plant Protection Convention. Implementation is conducted by the National Agricultural Health and Food Safety Service – Senasag in Bolivia and the National Agrarian Health Service – Senasa in Peru and may be expanded to other Andean Community countries. (Senasag)
Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control Agency – Agrocalidad in Ecuador held 1.3 K training sessions for more than 20 K people on prevention of Moko disease and Fusarium TR4 from January through August. Of these, 530 were held in Los Ríos and El Oro, where the agency maintains specific measures against Moko and Foc TR4, respectively. Separately, Agrocalidad created a technical working group on September 2nd to coordinate measures against the presence and spread of Moko in Los Ríos. (Agrocalidad)
Colombian Agricultural Institute – ICA intensified surveillance of coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) in Santander, Colombia. Through July, the agency conducted 52 initial visits to production areas and identified six occurrences of the pest, with samples sent for laboratory identification. ICA also held five training sessions for 65 farmers covering integrated management, responsible input use and pollinator protection. (ICA)
Uruguay began monitoring canola, carinata and camelina fields in September following implementation of mandatory registration of phytosanitary spraying. The program includes residue analyses in plant tissues and grains to verify authorized uses and maximum residue limits. The recording covers applications from flowering through harvest. (MGAP – monitoring announced on 9/3/26; DGSA Resolution No. 621/2026)
READ MORE: