Crop Protection and Nutrition - Weekly Update Brazil & Latin America (11/28/24 – 12/04/24)

Lower House of the Brazilian Parliament approved, on November 27th, Bill No. 658/21, which regulates production, sales and use of bioinputs in agriculture. On December 3rd, the Senate approved the framework. Among the highlights of the approved text is the exemption from registration for bioinputs manufactured and used inside farms, a practice known as “on farm” production, as long as they are not commercialized. (Agência Câmara de Notícias; Federal Senate)

UbyAgro Group announced a partnership with the University of Uberaba, State of Minas Gerais. Project seeks to develop plant nutrition products and bioinputs. “We will develop trials with soybeans, corn, cotton, beans, wheat, citrus, coffee and sugarcane,” said Matheus Ferreira, senior researcher at the company (UbyAgro; Uniube)

Public Ministry of the State of Paraná is investigating illegal pesticide sales and tax evasion and carried out search and seizure warrants in the northwest of the State of São Paulo on November 26^th. According to the Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime, the groups being investigated operate in the sale of pesticides of illicit origin, which come from theft, diversion, adulteration or counterfeiting. During the operation, documents, cell phones, computers and various electronic equipment were seized. One of the groups is responsible for issuing fraudulent invoices, which in the last three years totaled almost US$ 4.33 million. (Public Ministry of Paraná)

Report released on November 28^th by Emater/RS-Ascar provides an overview of citrus production in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. In Erechim city, citrus farmers have carried out treatments to reduce fruit drop, although flower drop is still a concern. In Santa Rosa city, most varieties are in the fruit formation and growth stage, but the incidence of aphids and leafminers remains high in several areas, and farmers are spraying with bioinputs and sprays to control cochineal and aphids. (Emater/RS-Ascar; Seapi)

Cristiano Bellé announced that he is starting a new role as technical director at Staphyt Brasil. (Staphyt Brasil)

Anvisa launched AnvisaLegis, a new legislation webpage. The Agency held a webinar on December 2^nd to present the system. Through AnvisaLegis, it will be possible to access regulatory standards, such as Normative Instructions and Guides; consult openings of public consultations; regulatory impact reports; etc. The initiative was driven by Decree 12002/2024, which establishes new standards for the digital dissemination of normative acts, and also aims to facilitate access to regulatory information. (Anvisa)

Agriculture Committee of the Brazilian Lower House of Congress approved, on November 26^th, Bill No. 4338/23, which provides for the granting of economic subsidies to the price of natural gas used in the manufacturing of fertilizers. The proposal establishes the Emergency Program for the Manufacturing of Ammonia and Urea and, among other points, authorizes the federal government to allocate up to US$ 280 million per year to equalize the cost of natural gas used in the production of ammonia and urea. The approved text still needs to be analyzed by other commissions. If approved conclusively, it could go directly to the Senate. (Agência Câmara de Notícias)

Pesticide contamination cases in rural communities increased almost 10 times in the 1H24, according to the Pastoral Land Commission. According to the organization, which has been publishing information on agrarian conflicts since 1985, the number of cases increased from 19 (2023) to 182 (2024). The increase in notifications is the result of the increase in the number of complaints made by communities affected by the problem, which are the result of greater awareness, according to the Commission’s coordinator, Ronilson Costa. (Pastoral Land Commission)

During inspections, the Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Defense of the State of Espírito Santo – IDAF identified the practice of “tying up” [when a supplier makes the sale of one product conditional upon the purchase of another] pesticides in Santa Maria de Jetibá city. The sale of an insecticide and acaricide for coffee, fruit and vegetables was being conditioned on the purchase of other products of the same brand. Idaf’s agronomist, Thomas Carlos de Oliveira, explained that an investigation was carried out to evaluate other incidents in the municipality. “To date, 15 infraction notices have been generated for the tying of this product, involving dealers and technical managers in the region”. (IDAF)

Significant increase in coffee prices in recent weeks, along with low fertilizer prices due to lower demand, has favored the exchange rate for farmers. Record coffee prices in recent months have improved farmers’ profits. The exchange rate between coffee and fertilizers is 47% lower in 2024 when compared to the same period of 2023. In November, coffee farmers needed 1.3 bags of 60 kg of green coffee to buy one tonne of fertilizer. This is the lowest level in13 years. (Rabobank)

Nutrisal, an animal nutrition company, was banned by the Ministry of Agriculture after suspected use of a prohibited insecticide in supplements for cattle. According to MAPA, this is the second time that the banned insecticide has been identified in laboratory analyzes by the company, which is from São José do Rio Preto, State of São Paulo. (MAPA)

On November 28^th the Ordinary General Assembly of the Herbicide Resistance Action Committee took place. Main actions and strategies for managing weed resistance to herbicides were discussed, including an update on the resistance scenario in the main crops and the planning of actions to promote the responsible use of herbicides and minimize the impacts of resistance. (HRAC – BR)

In compliance with court decision, Anvisa approves toxicological evaluation of seven products: picoxystrobin 200 + cyproconazole 80 g/L SC (Rainbow); glyphosate 792.5 g/kg WG (Syncrom); bifenthrin 100 g/L EC (Meghmani); imidacloprid 250 + bifenthrin 50 g/L SC (CHDS); glyphosate ammonium salt 757 g/kg WG (AllierBrasil); glyphosate 720 g/L WG (Ferbru); spirodiclofen 240 g/L SC (Lemma). (Anvisa) 

“2024 should reach a new record of pesticide registration approvals, surpassing the 652 registrations approved in 2022. Until now, there have been 555 approvals”, according to Flavio Hirata, partner at the consulting firm AllierBrasil. (AllierBrasil)

At a hearing on a lawsuit filed by the Fine Wines Association of Campanha Gaúcha and the Association of Apple Farmers, the Court granted the State 30 days to deliver pending documents. The process, filed in 2020, calls for an end to the application of the hormonal herbicide 2,4-D due to cases of application drift. According to the State of Rio Grande do Sul’s agriculture department, to avoid drift, the application of hormonal pesticides must respect the following meteorological conditions: wind speed between 3 and 10 km/h; relative air humidity greater than 55%; ambient temperature lower than 30ºC. (Secretaria de Agricultura do RS; Associação Vinhos da Campanha)

At a meeting of the National Fertilizers and Plant Nutrition Council, held on November 27^th, Petrobras reaffirmed its intention to resume operations in the fertilizer market. The company’s strategic plan foresees investment of US$ 900 million in 2025-2029. The recovery includes the reactivation of industrial units and the development of new technologies, with the potential to generate 13 thousand direct and indirect jobs. (Petrobras)

AgroGalaxy filed a Bankruptcy Protection plan on December 2^nd. The plan provides for full payment, without any discounts, of values owed to suppliers, labor creditors and farmers. The document was presented within the legal deadline of 60 days and brings especially favorable conditions for strategic suppliers and farmers. “The Bankruptcy Protection plan brings together the payment conditions that ensure the viability of operational continuity, resulting in the financial recovery of the company to comply with the plan and honor its obligations with creditors”, stated Eron Martins, CEO of AgroGalaxy, who took over command after the departure of Axel Labourt and five advisors during the crisis. “The proposal combines conditions for us to return to profitability, preserving our relationship with farmers and long-term commercial partners”. (AgroGalaxy)

National Association for the Promotion and Innovation of the Biological Industry – Anpii Bio offers, free of charge and online, a course on Biological Nitrogen Fixation. “More efficient strains in N fixation and consortium with other beneficial microorganisms are examples of trends we observed to increase the amount of nitrogen fixed in crops. An example of a successful consortium is the coinoculation of Bradyrhizobium with Azospirillum in soybean crops”, highlights Solon Cordeiro de Araújo, founding advisor of the Association. (Anpii Bio)

First occurrences of soybean Asian rust in commercial crops in the 2024/25 season were recorded on November 26^th in the State of São Paulo. Notifications came from areas in the municipalities of Itaberá and Itapetininga, identified by technicians from the companies Sipcam Nichino and G12 Agro. According to researcher Claudia Godoy, from Embrapa Soybean, the occurrence of Asian rust between the end of November and the beginning of December is considered normal, but continuous attention from soybean farmers is necessary. “Soybean diseases are one of the main factors that limit the grain’s productivity potential”. (Embrapa Soybean)

Yeb, a market intelligence company for agricultural inputs, will hold the webinar “market, trends and perspectives for fertilizers and pesticides in 2025” on December 10^th. The event will feature experts Giovanna Pereira, Bárbara Santos and Nathalia Rocha, who will address the scenarios of macronutrients, micronutrients and pesticides. (Yeb)

Federal University of Santa Catarina is developing an innovative methodology to monitor Biological Nitrogen Fixation with funding from Global Grand Challenges. The project, called “SensMyN – Monitoring Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) through integrated soil-vegetation spectral data and RNA-based biomarkers”, seeks to develop a rapid, in situ and low-cost diagnostic test. This will be possible by using RNA biomarkers which can identify plant genotypes that are most responsive to biological fixation. (UFSC)

MAPA published, on December 3^rd, the Act No. 57 with regard to post-registrations of pesticides and similar products, containing the withdrawal of 39 pesticide registrations. (MAPA)

FarmTrak 2023/24 survey, by Kynetec Brasil, found increased caterpillar populations in off-season corn. There was a 24% increase in the adoption of insecticides to control these pests and a 13% increase in the amount of applications. The area treated with specific products reached 22.5 million hectares, 38% above the previous season (2022/23). This indicator had not recorded representative growth for at least three seasons. The value of applied products went from US$ 129 million in 2021 to US$ 198 million (+54%). The result was due to the need for farmers to intensify product management in order to contain damages from high populations of caterpillars. (Kynetec Brasil)

Two men were arrested by the Military Police of Vítória Brasil, State of São Paulo, accused of stealing agricultural pesticides valued at more than US$ 330 thousand in the early hours of November 28^th, at a gas station in the city of Urânia, State of São Paulo. (Military Police)

Brazilian Green Party (Partido Verde) filed the Direct Unconstitutionality Action No. 7755 in the Federal Supreme Court. The objective is to declare unconstitutional provisions of the Agreement No. 100/97 of the National Council for Financial Policy as well as part of the Constitutional Amendment 132/2023. These guarantee tax benefits for agricultural inputs. Agreement 100/97 provides, in its first clause, for a 60% reduction in the ICMS [State tax on product circulation] calculation base for pesticides in interstate operations. The third clause also allows States to grant total or partial tax exemption in internal operations involving the products. According to the Party, the provisions would violate: the right to an ecologically balanced environment; the right to health; the principle of tax selectivity, by granting incentives to products considered harmful. (Green Party)

Anvisa published the rejection of toxicological evaluation for registration of pesticide product Thiamethoxam 750 g/kg SG, from Real Fert. (Anvisa)

The green-bellied stink bug (Dichelops melacanthus) has been one of the main challenges faced by soybean and corn farmers in previous seasons. The pest, which multiplies quickly and causes significant damage to crops, was the topic of a lecture during the 5^th Corn Technical Meeting, held by Fundação MT on November 28^th and 29^th, in Cuiabá, State of Mato Grosso. The research supervisor Mariana Ortega warned of the importance of integrated stink bug management, considering the entire production system, from soybeans to corn. “The prolonged drought and inadequate management in recent seasons created favorable conditions for stink bugs to proliferate. It is essential to understand that the problem is not restricted to corn. Soybean also plays a crucial role in the population dynamics of this pest”, she explained. The insect’s habit of hiding in straw makes monitoring and control difficult. Furthermore, resistance to some products and the need for integrated management make controlling the pest even more complex. (Fundação MT)

An unprecedented study, carried out by Embrapa’s Environmental Unit, showed that the use of inoculants for Biological Nitrogen Fixation in sugarcane farms can reduce the severity of foliar diseases that affect the crop by up to 16%. (Embrapa Meio Ambiente)

Bill created on November 29^th by congressman Renato Roseno seeks to prohibit, in the State of Ceará, the production, commercialization and use of pesticides that are banned in the European Union. (Legislative Assembly of Ceará)

Syngenta announced on December 3rd the interruption of processing activities at its unit in Ituiutaba city, State of Minas Gerais. Approximately 83 employees were fired. Even with the interruption of processing operations, the company should maintain storage and logistics activities. The company pointed to “high production costs, limited credit and exchange rate volatility” as decisive factors for the disruption. (Syngenta)