Silicon Can Reduce Damages Caused by the Sorghum Aphid (Melanaphis sorghi)
Brazil
Unigel has reached an agreement with Petrobras to settle disputes, including lease contracts for fertilizer plants in the States of Bahia and Sergipe, with the units returning to the State-owned company on a date yet to be defined. The signing of the agreement leads to the definitive resolution of contractual disputes between the parties, according to the company. (Unigel)
The Federal Court in Caxias, State of Maranhão, has ordered the immediate suspension of aerial spraying of pesticides over areas inhabited by traditional communities in the town of Timbiras. The preliminary decision responds to a public civil action filed by the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office. (MPF)
According to a survey carried out by the maritime agency Williams Brasil, the import of 7.492 million tonnes of fertilizers was scheduled for the period from May 1st to 19th. The majority, around 1.821 million tonnes, is expected to be unloaded through the port of Santos, State of São Paulo. The agency’s report takes into account vessels already anchored, those offshore awaiting docking and those scheduled to arrive by August 6th, 2025. (Williams Brasil)
MAPA authorizes the general coordinator of pesticides and related products, José Victor Torres Alves, to represent the Ministry at the Mancozeb Summit, which will be held in London, between June 1st and 6th. According to a dispatch published in the Official Gazette of the Union, the trip will happen “with limited cost to the Public Administration and funded by United Phosphorus Limited”. (MAPA)
Kynetec Brasil released a study that points to 16% decline in the market for pesticides for summer corn crops. The market went from US$ 510 million in the 2023/24 season to US$ 420 million in the current season. According to the company, the reduction was mainly caused by the drop in product prices. (Kynetec Brasil)
Urea market remains stable, but a possible lack of supply from China is concerning, according to StoneX. “Urea is one of the most used nitrogen fertilizers in Brazil. With upward pressure on prices, Brazilian importers tend to pay more. The eventual resumption of Chinese exports may, however, reverse this trend, bringing relief to the market. Even so, soybean and corn production costs will depend on the proportion of inputs that each farmer has already purchased. For farmers and importers who still need to buy urea, this scenario of uncertainty represents an additional challenge”. (StoneX Consultoria)
H2Brazil announced agreements to develop two large green hydrogen projects in Brazil — one in the Uberaba Export Processing Zone (ZPE) in the State of Minas Gerais, and the other in the Port of Açu in the State of Rio de Janeiro. The plant in Minas Gerais will have a capacity of up to 820 MW by 2030, to produce nitrogen fertilizers from green hydrogen, with an estimated investment of US$ 1.38 billion. (H2Brazil)
Brazil-China biotechnology regulatory convergence could generate more than US$1.5 billion per year in exports, according to CropLife Brasil. In China, biotechnology product approvals occur 4 to 6 years after approval in Brazil, which impacts the launch and availability of these technologies to farmers. “The alignment of trade discussions between the countries and regulatory convergence, especially in agricultural biotechnology, are key points in defining the future of agriculture and economic opportunities for China and Brazil”, said Eduardo Leão, CEO of CropLife. (CropLife Brasil)
EuroChem invests US$ 7 million in a fertilizer plant in the State of Paraná. The investment is part of the company’s strategy to expand its operations in the southern region of Brazil. (EuroChem)
Widely used in fertilizer production, phosphorus is also incorporated into some lithium batteries, according to Valter Casarin, managing partner of Fertilità Consultoria Agronômica. “There are several challenges with the use of phosphate in lithium-iron-phosphate batteries. Since phosphorus is widely used in fertilizer production, an increase in demand for batteries could lead to competition with the agricultural industry… It is worth noting that the massive exploitation of phosphate deposits – which are not a renewable resource and phosphorus is irreplaceable – could lead to serious future problems”. (Fertilità Consultoria Agronômica)
Research conducted by scientists at Embrapa Corn and Sorghum revealed silicon can reduce significantly the damage caused by the sorghum aphid (Melanaphis sorghi) and, at the same time, increase crop biomass production. (Embrapa)
Prices of the main fertilizers have increased in the first five months of the year, causing an increase in production costs and reducing farmers’ margins. According to an analysis released by Itaú BBA, potassium and phosphate-based macronutrients are the ones that have increased the most between April and the first half of May. Potassium chloride (KCl) increased 5.2% in April and another 2.8% in the first 15 days of May, reaching US$ 365 per tonne at the ports. Since the beginning of 2025, the input has already accumulated an increase of 24%. (Itaú BBA)
Ordinance SDA/MAPA No. 1291, published on May 27th, updates the list of quarantine pests absent from Brazil, repealing Ordinance SDA/MAPA No. 1205, from November 2024. The list contains 852 pest species. (MAPA)
According to Cassiana Montagner, a researcher at Unicamp, higher concentrations of pesticides were detected in rainwater in regions with large sugarcane farms, such as in Brotas, State of São Paulo, and lower concentrations were found in more urbanized areas, such as in the city of São Paulo. Montagner coordinates a research group that monitors 15 types of agrochemicals in rainwater in the State. “Chemical products reach the atmosphere through spraying at farming sites and through weather, such as through the wind”. (Unicamp; USP)
Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened a civil inquiry to investigate possible irregularities in the environmental licensing process granted to Amaggi for the manufacture of pesticides in Cuiabá, State of Mato Grosso. (MPF)
Brazilian startup Psyche Aerospace, which was developing the world’s biggest agricultural drone, Harpia P-71, is facing a serious crisis. After raising US$ 3.33 million from investors and promising a revolution in crop spraying, the company discontinued its drone division and laid off 130 employees at its HQ in São José dos Campos, State of São Paulo. (Psyche Aerospace)
The estimated cost for planting corn in 2025/26 season in the State of Mato Grosso increased by 1.95% in April, compared to the previous month. The increase, which made the costs reach US$ 564 per hectare, was mainly driven by increases in the prices of seeds and agricultural pesticides, according to data released by the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics. (IMEA)
Embrapa Corn and Sorghum, in Sete Lagoas, State of Minas Gerais, opened up a pilot unit for the production of bioinputs. (Embrapa)
Ministry of Agriculture has authorized Marina Dourado Pires, head of the Technical Products Registration Division of the Secretariat of Agricultural Defense, to represent it at the Open Composition Working Group Meeting – OEWG, to be held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, from June 13th to 29th. (MAPA)
Latin America
PepsiCo and Yara International are expanding their partnership to Latin America in an effort to reduce agricultural emissions and support regenerative farming practices in key potato-farming regions. The agreement will provide farmers in Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Argentina with access to low-carbon fertilizers and digital tools. (PepsiCo.; Yara International)
Two unauthorized warehouses with illegal pesticides were closed in Córdoba, Argentina. As part of the inspections that sought to verify compliance with Provincial Laws 9164 and 8820, three farmers were also fined for having expired spraying equipment on their properties. General Directorate of Control of Córdoba)
Farmers in Tarija, Bolivia, warn that the increase in pesticides imported from Argentina and Brazil could result in production shutdowns. Juan Carlos Rodríguez, manager of the Trade and Supply Center, reported that the devaluation of the Bolivian currency has increased the price of these inputs by up to 300%, which causes significant losses for the sector. (CRAMA)
According to a specialist on consumer law, Jaime Delgado, and the Mérieux Nutrisciences, all strawberry samples tested in Peru contained pesticide residues were higher than permitted. In some cases, the concentration was 13 times higher than permitted. The high presence of fipronil and dimethoate was notable. (Mériex Nutrisciences)
According to the Minister of Agriculture of Costa Rica, Víctor Carvajal, at least five pesticides considered highly dangerous are soon to be removed from the country’s market next year. The withdrawal of these products is part of a process to update the registration of agrochemicals, promoted by a new legislation on pesticides. (Costa Rican Agriculture Ministry)
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