Eight in Ten Farmers in Argentina Reported Damages Caused by Lepidopteran Insects in Bt corn
Brazil
Anvisa publishes the rejection of toxicological evaluation of 92 pesticide products. (Official Gazette of Brazil, Res. No. 176 from 01/15/2025, Anvisa)
Corteva Agriscience appointed Arthur Prudente Cançado, from Brazil, as Director of Global Producer Services, focused on hedging and sustainability within its seeds business. (Corteva Agrisciences)
Government of the State of Mato Grosso State extended, until December 31st of 2026, the deferral of the Tax on the Circulation of Goods and Services (ICMS) on intra-state transactions involving fertilizers, soil amendments and other agricultural inputs, aiming to improve tax predictability and competitiveness for farmers. The decree also tightens tax-credit rules: credits are capped at 4% of input value, with no refund/offset of previously paid amounts, and transport-related credits still require reversal. (Mato Grosso State Department of Finance)
Anvisa has launched an unprecedented program of on-site technical visits to pesticide manufacturers to verify whether registration dossiers match the actual production process and current rules. The first visit took place on December 16–18, 2025, at Nortox in the State of Paraná, within the optimized review approach set by the Collegiate Board Resolution 950/2024. Anvisa says the methodology significantly reduced the time spent on toxicological reviews based solely on documents, while enabling stronger post-market oversight through inspections. By January 2nd of 2026, the agency reported completing around 750 toxicological assessments and cutting this backlog by 75%; Collegiate Board Resolution 1,005/2025 expands the approach to additional product types, supported by the Optimized Reading Tool for Pesticide Registration (FLORA) and the Pesticide Composition and Hazard Information Declaration (DCIPA). (Anvisa)
Cooperative research network released a technical protocol that standardizes field trials to measure fungicide efficacy against maize foliar leaf spots and rust, with emphasis on Brazil’s second crop season. Trials are run under natural infection in Atlantic Forest and Cerrado areas, using susceptible hybrids, randomized block design, applications at key growth stages and periodic disease severity scoring (diagrammatic scales), summarized as the area under the disease progress curve, alongside yield assessments and both conventional and meta-analytical approaches. The goal is to improve comparability across trials and support technical recommendations for chemical disease management in maize. Available at: https://periodicos.ufv.br/STFT/article/view/23270/12021. (UFV)
Raiza Machado has been appointed commercial director at Ubyfol. (Ubyfol – Uby Agroquímica)
Tobacco farmers in the south of the State of Rio Grande do Sul can return empty pesticide containers through a mobile collection program that will cover 26 municipalities and more than 300 rural drop-off points through March 30th. The initiative supports compliance with reverse logistics rules and provides proof of proper disposal. (SindiTabaco)
The Brazilian Association of Bioinputs Industries joined the National Bioinputs Export Committee of the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, in coordination with CropLife Brasil, under the Brazil Bioinputs Project. The initiative aims to structure the sector’s internationalization, supporting companies in opportunity mapping, regulatory compliance in target markets and participation in trade fairs and missions, focusing on Latin America, the European Union and the United States. The article cites estimates that Brazil’s market already exceeds US$ 1.5 billion and could surpass US$ 3 billion by the end of the decade. (Abinbio)
Cancellation of seven pesticide registrations and one registration request. (Official Gazette of Brazil, Act No. 3 from 01/14/2025, Ministry of Agriculture)
Lawyer Lidia Cristina Jorge dos Santos, partner at Figueiredo & Santos Sociedade de Advogados law firm, questions the institutional consistency of a communiqué published by the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources regarding environmental precautionary measures for fipronil-based products. She argues that unilateral acts “increase legal uncertainty” in the sector and raises practical doubts about decision-making authority, the scope of compliance, implementation timelines and the risk of unequal treatment between already-registered companies and applications under review. (Figueiredo & Santos Sociedade de Advogados)
State of Mato Grosso led fertilizer consumption in Brazil in 2025, with 9.05 million tonnes delivered through October, representing 22.1% of national demand. Nationwide deliveries totaled 40.94 million tonnes from January to October (+8.4% vs. 2024), while imports reached 35.88 million tonnes (+7.1%). The Port of Paranaguá remained the main import gateway, handling 8.89 million tonnes over the period (+5.8%). (ANDA)
BASF has appointed Elena Fumagalli Romário as strategic marketing lead for its fruits and vegetables segment in Latin America. With around three years at the company, she will drive the regional strategy focused on growth, innovation and strengthening BASF’s market presence across the region. (BASF)
Brazilian executive Marisa Bittencourt de Marques is the new Global Segment Finance Leader at Corteva Agriscience in the United States, expanding her international footprint in the agricultural sector. (Corteva Agriscience)
Brazil’s Fertilizer Purchasing Power Index increased in November, reflecting a stronger exchange rate and swings in fertilizer and agricultural commodity prices. In 2025, the index posted a positive annual average of 1.18, in a year marked by volatility. (The Mosaic Company)
Petrobras has resumed nitrogen fertilizer production in Northeast Brazil, with its Sergipe and Bahia plants restarting operations after initial investments of US$ 14.15 million. The Sergipe facility began urea production on January 3rd, while the Bahia unit is in start-up commissioning and is expected to begin urea output by the end of January. (Petrobras)
StoneX reports Brazil’s fertilizer imports totaled 44.96 million tonnes in 2025, up 2.9% versus 2024, and links the increase to cost-cutting strategies that shifted demand toward lower nutrient concentration products — notably ammonium sulfate and single superphosphate — at the expense of urea and monoammonium phosphate. The release also highlights growth in nitrogen-phosphorus grades, alongside declines in urea and monoammonium phosphate, with the following changes cited (urea -7%; ammonium sulfate +~28%; monoammonium phosphate -~25.7%; single superphosphate +~22%; nitrogen-phosphorus +~31.7%). (StoneX Consultoria)
Adama has appointed Yvan Cesar Lopes as its new marketing director in Brazil, in charge of the integrated strategy focused on portfolio, customer relationship management and go-to-market. Until a successor is named, he will also serve on an interim basis as South region business director. (Adama)
Syngenta Seeds has appointed agronomist Ricardo Formentini as the new commercial director for the Golden Harvest brand. (Syngenta Seeds)
Allterra has appointed economist Gabriel Bittencourt as its new chief financial officer, based in São Paulo, to strengthen the company’s corporate strategy and governance. (Allterra)
Mosaic said Brazil’s fertilizer market “deteriorated further” in the 4Q25, as demand weakened amid tighter farm credit, tougher competition and adverse weather. The company pointed to inflows of lower-concentration phosphate products from China and said sales volumes came in below expectations, weighing on margins and cash flow. (The Mosaic Company)
Police seized 250 L of agricultural pesticides smuggled from Paraguay in Ponta Porã, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, during an operation by the Border Operations Department. Authorities estimated losses of US$ 57.71 thousand to the smugglers and the driver and cargo were taken to the Federal Police. (Departamento de Operações de Fronteira)
State of Goiás Agricultural Defense Agency and the Military Police seized 1,409 irregular packages of alleged pesticide product (2,885 liters) in the city of Catalão after a truck was stopped on highway BR-050 without proper tax and sanitary documentation. (Agrodefesa)
Céleres Consultoria projects Brazil’s agricultural inputs market will surpass US$ 55.92 billion again in the 2026/27 season, with estimated sales of US$ 57.60 billion (+8% versus 2025/26), close to the US$ 58.53 billion record in 2022/23. The report highlights tighter margins and more expensive credit, but notes the market is more mature after the recent crisis and that planted area expansion remains the main volume driver. It also expects record grain-for-input exchange transactions, which could account for close to 30% of input deals by the end of the 2025/26 season as a hedge against high interest rates. (Céleres Consultoria)
AgroGalaxy, under court-supervised reorganization since September of 2024, announced the immediate suspension of operations at its subsidiary Sementes Campeã, which provides soybean seed treatment services. The company said the move is part of its restructuring plan amid current conditions in the soybean seed market. It also reported governance changes, including the resignation of three board members and the call for an extraordinary general meeting on February 4th to reduce the board’s size and elect a new independent director. (AgroGalaxy)
Portuguese pesticide manufacturer Ascenza, operating in Brazil since 2017, announced a leadership change and said it targets 10% annual growth through 2030. New Brazil director Hugo Centurion said the expansion strategy centers on serving small farmers, particularly in fruits, vegetables and smaller-scale crops. (Ascenza)
Military Police dismantled a clandestine facility for handling and repackaging crop protection products in Patos de Minas, State of Minas Gerais, after residents reported unusual traffic and a strong chemical odor. (Military Police of Minas Gerais)
Anvisa will hold a free, online webinar on January 29th at 3:00 p.m. on the “new regulatory framework for evaluating exposure of operators, workers, residents and passers-by to pesticides”. The webinar aims to clarify key concepts, criteria and requirements and to strengthen technical alignment among public officials and other stakeholders. Access will be direct, with no prior registration required. (Anvisa)
Latin América
India-based Tagros Chemicals has signed an agreement to acquire Bayer’s global flubendiamide-related assets, including the Belt brand, in a deal covering Latin America and other regions. The transaction expands Tagros’ footprint to more than 25 countries and strengthens its position in the diamide insecticide segment. (Tagros Chemicals)
Luiz Henrique Valerio has taken on the role of global regulatory affairs manager at Bayer Crop Science, in addition to leading the regulatory science strategy for herbicides in Latin America. (Bayer Crop Science)
According to research, eight in ten farmers in Argentina reported damages caused by lepidopteran insects in Bt corn fields in the 2024/25 season, according to the Argentine No-Till Farmers Association. The study covered more than 1.8 million hectares and found that only a limited share of acres required additional insecticide sprays. (Aapresid)
Córdoba, Argentina, recovered 1,251,000 kg of empty pesticide packages in 2025, an increase of 40% when compared to 2024, through the CampoLimpio management system. The province operates 16 Temporary Storage Centers and sends the material to three authorized recycling companies. (CampoLimpio)
In Argentina, a study led by the National Institute of Agricultural Technology suggests that variable-rate nitrogen fertilization (using urea) can raise sugarcane yields and optimize costs by tailoring rates to low, medium and high-quality zones within the same field. Over two years, higher rates improved yields in medium and high-quality areas, while low-quality zones showed limited response, pointing to soil constraints as the main limiting factor. (INTA)
In Argentina, the Buenos Aires Chamber of Agrochemical, Seed and Related Distributors and the consulting firm AZ-Group report a clear improvement in the input-to-output ratio for soybeans and corn in 2025/26, led by herbicides (glyphosate) and nitrogen fertilizers (urea). Urea and glyphosate require fewer tonnes of grain than recent averages for soybeans and corn, while monoammonium phosphate remains comparatively tighter; wheat shows the smallest improvement, with monoammonium phosphate as the most constrained input. Jeremías Battistoni, analyst at AZ-Group, advises buying glyphosate and taking advantage of better urea ratios, but waiting to purchase monoammonium phosphate. (AZ-Group)
Chile’s Agricultural and Livestock Service reiterated that, starting January 26th of 2026, anyone applying pesticides considered toxic to bees must notify nearby beekeepers at least 48 hours in advance. The rule also sets application windows for times of lower hive activity (early morning or at dusk). This is a separate requirement from the notification demanded by the Ministry of Health. (SAG)
The Association of Farming Guilds of Peru said that the country does not use, in its agri-exports to Europe, products targeted by the French rule that bans imports with residues of mancozeb, thiophanate-methyl, glufosinate, carbendazim, or benomyl. The National Agrarian Health Service stated shipments to France remain unaffected and noted that Peru’s fruit sector has excluded these substances from plant-protection programs since 2014, in line with EU requirements. The French measure took effect on January 8th. (AGAP; Senasa)
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