Crop Protection and Nutrition - Weekly Update Brazil & Latin America (12/05/24 – 12/11/24)

Congressman Pedro Lupion was re-elected to the presidency of the Parliamentary Agricultural Front – FPA, with a mandate from 2025 to 2027. Congressman Arnaldo Jardim was re-elected to the vice-presidency of the Front at the Lower House of Congress. In the Senate, the vice-president of the FPA will be the senator and former Minister of Agriculture, Tereza Cristina. Since 2023, the FPA has promoted in Congress important projects for the sector, such as the new legal framework for pesticides, the law on the timeframe for the delimitation of indigenous lands and the self-regulation law. (FPA)

Grupo CropField, an agrochemical and bioinputs company, reached US$ 170 million in sales. “The products that most increased sales were the herbicides”, according to Anderson Faustino, founding partner. (Grupo CropField)

Stock prices of the fertilizer company Fertilizantes Heringer increased more than 50% on December 4th. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Brazil has asked Heringer why the prices fluctuated so strongly in the last month. In response, the company disclosed that “the movement of stock prices may be related to the proximity of the final date established by the ‘New Market’ regulations of the Brazilian Stock Exchange B3 and the company’s controller for recomposing the minimum number of stocks in circulation by December 29^th of 2024”. According to Heringer, the controlling shareholder confirmed it is aware of the need to “increase the number of shares in circulation and it is constantly evaluating alternatives, including private sale of stakes, block trade or even a public offering of primary and/or secondary distribution of shares”. (Heringer Fertilizers; CVM)

Green stem nematode (Aphelenchoides besseyi) has caused significant losses in soybeans, which can reach 60% in affected areas. The infested area is estimated at 6.3 million hectares, in the State of Mato Grosso, Pará, Maranhão, Tocantins, Roraima and Amapá. “In some cases, the losses reach 100%, leading the farmer to destroy soybean areas and to choose another crop”, said the researcher Maurício Meyer, from Embrapa Soja. (Embrapa)

In its 12^th edition, the Productivity and Sustainability Increase Program promoted by Cocamar, has as its theme the use of pre-emergent herbicides in the management of weeds. This is because the management of species of difficult control, such as horseweed, bitter grass and crow’s foot grass, among others, has become increasingly complex and costly after each harvest. (Cocamar)

National Union of the Plant Defense Products Industry – Sindiveg celebrates the approval of Bill No. 658/2021 by the Federal Senate on December 3^rd. The project, which waits for presidential sanction, regulates production, use and sales of bioinputs. The Bill had been approved by the Lower House of Congress on November 27^th. For Sindiveg, the approval of the legal framework is extremely positive and regulates activities related to products of biological origin. The use of chemical pesticides associated with biopesticides contributes to the development of agriculture and represents an advance towards a more sustainable production. (Sindiveg)

Weber Agostinho da Silva is the new B2B commercial director at the bioinputs company Hubio Agro. (Hubio Agro)

Port of Itaqui, State of Maranhão, reached a new record by receiving the largest fertilizer cargo unloaded by a single ship in its history. Ship Affinity Diva unloaded, on December 1^st, 80 thousand tonnes of fertilizers from China. In 2024, the Port of Itaqui has already received 3,613,260 tonnes of fertilizers, consolidating itself as one of the main hubs for the input in Brazil. (Port of Itaqui)

According to an article published by researchers Nubia Correia and Lucas Barcellos Juniors, crow’s foot grass (Eleusine indica) is a highly resistant and prevalent weed in soybean. The resistance of this plant to herbicides, such as ACCase inhibitors and glyphosate, brings significant challenges, making control difficult and causing yield reduction. In Brazil, the increase in resistance to glyphosate, clethodim and haloxyfop was 52%, 21% and 42%, respectively, during the last six seasons. In 2024, resistant biotypes reached 79% for glyphosate, 68% for haloxyfop and 41% for clethodim. The repetitive use of herbicides with similar modes of action and the lack of crop rotation both intensify the spread of Eleusine indica. Significant losses occur after 14 days of coexistence between soybean and crow’s foot grass, reaching 10 bags/ha after 21 days. (Embrapa Cerrados; Fundação MT)

Deliveries of fertilizer in Brazil reached 4.85 million tonnes in September, a decrease of 0.8% when compared to September of 2023. From January to September of 2024, there was a 1.8% reduction in fertilizer deliveries, reaching 32.88 million tonnes. “However, the market is fully supplied”, said the National Association for Fertilizer Diffusion, citing the “natural cyclical nature of demand in the agricultural sector”. The State of Mato Grosso continues to have the highest volume of fertilizer deliveries, with 20.5% of the total, or 6.75 million tonnes. (ANDA)

Guilherme Micai de Oliveira is the new commercial and agricultural R&D director at the bioinputs company Toyobo do Brasil. (Toyobo do Brasil Produtos Biológicos)

Agriculture Committee of the Chamber of Deputies approved on December 4^th the favorable report from congressman Pedro Lupion, president of the Parliamentary Front for Agriculture – FPA, with regard to Bill 2022/2022. The proposal amends Law No. 10925/2004 to reduce specific taxes on the import and internal commercialization of fertilizers to zero. According to Lupion, the objective is to correct tax distortions in the production chain, increasing agriculture’s competitiveness. “This measure is fundamental in the current scenario of high agricultural production costs, which are being impacted, among other factors, by the increase in input prices”, said the congressman. (FPA)

Agricultural inspectors and technicians from the Department of Plant Defense of the Secretariat of Agriculture of the State of Rio Grande do Sul – Seapi participated in Operation “Piratas do Agro” (Agricultural Pirates), carried out by the Civil Police. They sought to combat counterfeiting and illegal trade of pesticides, as well as corn and soybean seeds. The operations were carried out in commercial establishments in the cities of São Luiz Gonzaga, Rolador and Santo Cristo. According to the head of Seapi’s Agricultural Inputs and Services Division, Rafael de Lima, irregularities related to agrochemicals were identified, including the inadequate disposal of pesticide packages and irregular storage of products. (Seapi – RS; Civil Police)

Corteva is focused on Brazil as its “next stage of growth” after commercial success in the USA. The company wants to expand its presence in the largest soybean producer in the world, according to the company’s CEO, Chuck Magro, seeking to repeat the same successful model implemented in the USA with its seed technology, pest protection and herbicides for soybean. Magro stated that Corteva hopes to reach 20% to 30% of the soybean area in Brazil by the end of the decade. (Corteva Agriscience)

According to the Federation of Industries of Rio de Janeiro, the State should receive two new nitrogen fertilizer plants in the coming years, attracting more than US$ 3.33 billion in investments. The plans involve the construction of a urea factory in Macaé city, ammonia and green hydrogen plants in São João da Barra city, in addition to the creation of the Center of Excellence in Fertilizers and Plant Nutrition in the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro’s Technological Park. The State of Rio de Janeiro is responsible for more than 58% of the supply of natural gas in Brazil, a raw material for the production of nitrogen fertilizers. (Firjan)

According to the international NGO Human Rights Watch, Brazil “failed to fulfill its promise to launch a Pesticide Reduction Plan”. According to Julia Bleckner, senior researcher at the NGO, “although the plan was drawn up in 2014, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has repeatedly blocked its progress… It has been ten years since the plan was drawn up. It shouldn’t take another ten to put it into practice”. (Human Rights Watch)

Proposal to subsidize prices of natural gas used to produce nitrogen fertilizers may stagnate due to Brazil’s fiscal limitations, according to the executive director of the National Union of Industries of Raw Materials for Fertilizers – Sinprifert, Bernardo Silva. The proposal points out that subsidies worth US$ 280 million would cover the difference between the market price of natural gas and “a reference value” of US$ 4 per million BTUs. To be competitive, Brazilian nitrogen fertilizer producers would ideally buy natural gas for between $4 and $7 per million BTUs, according to Silva. The current price range is around US$ 12 to US$ 16. (Sinprifert)

Labor Court reinforces warnings about the effects of pesticides on the health of rural workers. Indiscriminate use of pesticides can cause poisoning and serious illnesses, such as cancer and respiratory problems. According to the National Health Surveillance Agency, poisoning can cause a wide range of reactions, depending on the form of contamination. Through contact with the skin, irritation, dehydration and allergies may occur. Through accidental breathing, symptoms include burning in the nose and mouth, coughing, runny nose, chest pain and difficulty breathing. If pesticides are ingested, there is irritation in the mouth and throat, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. (TST; Anvisa)

Yara fertilizer has started production of green ammonia in Brazil. Renewable ammonia is manufactured from biomethane, which allows a 75% reduction in the carbon footprint when compared to ammonia manufactured with natural gas. Biomethane, produced from waste from sugarcane processing, arrives through gas pipelines at the Yara unit in Cubatão city, State of São Paulo, after being produced by Raízen in Piracicaba city, São Paulo. Initially, production will be up to 6 thousand tonnes/year of renewable ammonia, out of a total of 200 thousand tonnes/year of ammonia produced at the Cubatão unit, which still uses natural gas in most of its operation. According to Yara, the objective is for the unit to operate entirely with biomethane by 2023. (Yara Fertilizantes)

Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio Grande do Sul has approved Bill No. 442/2023. It declares agricultural aviation as an activity of “relevant social, public and economic interest”. (Legislative Assembly)

Symposium “Bees at Risk” took place on December 10^th, in Bento Gonçalves city, State of Rio Grande do Sul, promoted by Embrapa. According to Cristiano Menezes, general coordinator of the Brazilian Bee Observatory, the event helps to “value farmers who make correct use of pesticides, as bees are excellent bioindicators of environmental quality. In the near future, we will be able to drastically reduce the occurrences of beehive deaths and this will have a huge positive impact on Brazilian agriculture”. (Embrapa)

Federal Road Police arrested a 22-year-old man who was transporting 560 L of smuggled pesticides in São João da Urtiga city, State of Rio Grande do Sul. The sale and use of the seized product was banned by Anvisa in Brazil because it increases the risk of Parkinson’s disease, among other serious issues for human health. (PRF) 

Federal Supreme Court has confirmed Minister Flávio Dino’s preliminary decision that suspended the validity of the State of Ceará’s rules that allow the granting of simplified environmental licensing in activities and enterprises with low polluting potential that use pesticides. According to the decision, the issuance of an environmental license requires prior authorization for the removal of vegetation and the use of water resources, in addition to municipal and legal approval. (STF)

Sugarcane farms with an 8.5% borer (Diatraea saccharalis) infestation have a white sugar processing cost that is 6% higher when compared with those with zero infestation. In ethanol production, the impact is more significant: an infestation of 8.5% results in an ethanol processing cost that is 18% higher compared to sugarcane without the insect. (Pecege Consulting and Projects; CTC)

Fernando Manzeppi is the new Cerrado Biome and North Region commercial director at Cropchem. (Cropchem)

Brazil Potash Corp. concluded its initial public offering (IPO), selling 2 million common shares at US$ 15.00 each, totaling US$ 30 million in gross revenue. The shares began trading on the NYSE American exchange on 11/27/2024. The company plans to use the funds raised to finance pre-operational expenses for its potash manufacturing project at Autazes, in the State of Amazonas. This includes obtaining and complying with environmental licenses, carrying out critical engineering and construction steps, acquiring land for strategic areas such as dry tailings piles, and obtaining other authorizations necessary to advance the project. (Brazil Potash Corp.)

Federal Road Police recovered, on December 4^th, a 5 thousand L cargo of pesticides that had been stolen in Tupaciguara, State of Minas Gerais. The cargo, with an estimated value of US$ 820 thousand, was recovered in the city of Uberaba, Minas Gerais. (PRF)

Industrially treated seeds were used in 51% of the entire soybean planted area in the 2023/24 season, a new advance compared to the previous cycle, in 2023/22, when this number reached 47%. According to Lucas Lima Alves, research specialist at Kynetec, the use of fungicides, insecticides and nematicides in seed treatment aims to guarantee productive potential and protect the crop from initial attacks by pests and diseases. (Kynetec Brasil)

Soybean mealworm (Myochrous armatus) is a threat to Brazilian farms, especially in the Central-West region. According to Embrapa, infestations can reduce yields by up to 30%, causing losses of 8 to 10 bags per hectare. The pest attacks plants at all stages of development, with larvae that damage roots and adults that cut the stems of seedlings. Hudslon Huben, manager at ORÍGEO, highlights that monitoring is essential to avoid losses. “The soybean mealworm attacks plants at the beginning of the crop cycle and can cause damage to crops at all stages of development. Still as larvae, the pest lives in the soil and damages the roots of plants”, said Huben. (Embrapa; ORÍGEO)

After being acquired by PI Industries, Plant Health Care – PHC announces the objective of reaching 100% of the Brazilian territory by 2025, and grow more than 1,000% in the next 5 years. According to Rodrigo de Miranda, business director for South America, the plan is to double its revenue by the end of 2025. PHC focuses on soybean, corn, cotton, coffee and sugar cane, but there are plans to expand to other crops. (Plant Health Care)