Ban on the import and use of glyphosate in Mexico was postponed
Brazil
According to Ibama “there was no change in the Thiamethoxam Official Announcement, and, to date, this Institute has not been notified of a possible judicial decision to suspend its effects”, when asked about rumors of a possible judicial decision that would remove restrictions imposed on thiamethoxam products by the Official Announcement of February 22nd. (Ibama)
Lucila Orsini is the new technology director at Nutrien in Brazil. (Nutrien Ag Solutions)
Agricultural adjuvants industry is joining the Programa Adjuvantes da Pulverização (Spraying Adjuvants Program), which brings together almost 50 companies that are signatories to the IAC Seal of functionality. “Lack of legislation leaves room for the circulation of poor-quality adjuvants, at the same time that it requires good companies in the market to search for mechanisms that attest to the quality of their products. Good adjuvants promote good yields, but bad products cause harm”, said Hamilton Ramos, researcher at the Agronomic Institute. (IAC)
Eleven people suspected of the theft of a cargo of 35 tonnes of agricultural pesticides, valued at US$ 9.66 million, were arrested during a Civil Police operation in Uberaba, State of Minas Gerais. According to the investigators, they also identified shell companies, which were issuing false invoice notes for the stolen products. (Civil Police of Minas Gerais)
Santa Clara, a special fertilizer company, issued a debenture worth US$ 5.84 million. The company, with HQ in Ribeirão Preto, State of São Paulo, declared having grown 34% per year in the last five agricultural seasons. The company did not disclose in which projects it will invest the money. (Santa Clara Agrociência)
New Rules of the Integrated Agricultural Development Company of the State of Santa Catarina – Cidasc require registration for pesticide spraying drone service providers. According to the agronomist and manager of the Agricultural Input Inspection Division at Cidasc, Geovani Pedro de Souza, this is due to the increase in the number of drones used for agricultural spraying in the country after the simplification of the rules promoted by the National Civil Aviation Agency, in May of 2023. (Cidasc)
In compliance with a court decision, Anvisa approves toxicological evaluation of pesticides mesotrione 480 g/L SC (Solus); trifloxystrobin 250 + tebuconazole 500 g/kg WG (Rainbow); and bifenthrin 400 g/L EC (Tecnomyl). (Anvisa)
According to José Maurício Simões Bento, professor at the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, there are currently “629 biological products registered in Brazil for pest control, involving micro and macroorganisms, biochemicals and semiochemicals. This number is increasing annually”. According to Bento, 55% of Brazilian farms use some type of biocontrol. “Today, Brazil has around 170 biofactories, treating an area of approximately 25 million hectares, and a market that generates more than US$ 1 billion annually, with an estimated growth of 15% to 20% per year.” (Esalq/USP )
There is a high incidence of corn leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis), responsible for transmitting corn stunt, even before the second corn crop is completely sown. Some studies show that the incidence of the pest is 280% higher in the first months of 2024, when compared to the same period of 2023. According to Mateus Torrezan, market development agronomist at Bayer, and Piérri Spoli, director of phytopathology and reproduction systems at the company, the elimination of volunteer corn, the correct choice of hybrids, seed treatment, maintaining a safe distance from already infected plants, monitoring, etc., are some factors that can reduce the risks of the pest in the farms. (Bayer)
Ricardo Dias is the new director of sales and formulators for Brazil and Paraguay at Acadian Plant Health. (Acadian Plant Health)
Petrobras has reported that initial procedures were approved for revitalization and resumption of operations at the State of Paraná Nitrogen Fertilizer Factory, a subsidiary of the company located in the city of Araucária, and which has been closed since 2020. (Petrobras)
Harsco has announced an investment of US$ 42.52 million to expand its installed fertilizer production capacity in Timóteo, State of Minas Gerais, inside Aperam’s factory, the largest stainless-steel producer in Latin America. Fertilizer will be produced using slag, a residue from the steel production process. (Harsco; Aperam)
According to Gep Costdrivers, an intelligence, market and data analysis company, imports of ammonium nitrate from Russia “zeroed out” in February of 2024. “The current scenario raises an alarm for the market mainly because we cannot predict the end of conflicts or the next steps of the countries involved in them. Therefore, the projections are pessimistic: the decline in imports of some types of fertilizers is expected to continue throughout the year, putting the availability of these inputs at risk”, said Isadora Araújo, the company’s economist. “As for domestic production, the expectation is that there will be a drop of 4.13% this year, when compared to 2023, which had already shown a reduction”. (Gep Costdrivers)
Anvisa published voluntary withdrawal of pesticide registration files of technical tembotrione (AllierBrasil), technical 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (Nellty do Brasil), dinotefuran 84 + lambda-cyhalothrin 48 g/L EW, and dinotefuran 100 + pyriproxyfen 25 g/L EW (Iharabras). (Anvisa)
Tropical Phytosanitary Network (Rede Fitossanidade Tropical) is publishing results regarding the evaluation of fungicides to control corn diseases. The frequency of use of fungicides in commercial corn crops in Brazil has increased in recent years. “In some cases, such as white spot, there were products that showed a control efficiency greater than 70%”, said researcher Adriano Custódio, from the Paraná Rural Development Institute. (IDR-Paraná; RFT)
Fertilizer company Yara and MyCarbon, a subsidiary of Minerva Foods focused on origination and sale of carbon credits, announced a partnership to recover degraded pastures. Yara will provide personalized consultancy on the use of fertilizers that have carbon absorption technology. “The initiative has the potential to generate an increase in pasture uniformity, with an estimated increase of 25% in forage yields for annual winter pastures and 63% in yields in perennial tropical areas”, said Marcelo Gobitta, “Food Chain” manager at Yara Brasil. (Yara Brasil; MyCarbon)
The Senate’s Environmental Committee will meet on April 24th with nine items on the voting agenda. Among the items, Senator Rogério Carvalho’s Bill will be evaluated, which provides for the periodic reevaluation of pesticides and their components (Bill No. 494/2022). This Bill stipulates that the revaluation of pesticides should be done every ten years, with publication through an official notice and the possibility of reducing this period in certain circumstances. (Agência Senado)
“When I look at the imports of acephate, the insecticide active ingredient most used in Brazil, I see a significant increase in recent years”, according to Jeferson Souza, market analyst at Agrinvest Commodities. “In the 1Q/2021, the quantity imported was 10.8 thousand tonnes. However, in the 1Q/2024, the volume increased to 13.75 thousand tonnes. Therefore, in three years, we saw an increase of 27.3%”. (Agrinvest Commodities)
Ministry of Agriculture has published the registration of 19 equivalent technical product pesticides, including 2 fipronil, 4 imazapyr, 4 boscalid, etc. (MAPA)
Latin America
Marcelo Gavazzi is the new Latam Treasury and Risk Manager at Sumitomo Chemical Latin America. (Sumitomo Chemical)
Nutrien is looking for a buyer for its business in Argentina. A few weeks ago, the company had announced its intention to leave the country, in addition to Uruguay and Chile. Now the regional leader for Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, Germán Glineur, has issued a statement regarding the search for buyers for the assets in Argentina: “We are focused on finding the best partner to acquire our entire local operation, including our industrial plants located in Casilda and Colonia Hinojo, Olavarría”, Glineur said. “During this negotiation process, the priority of the Nutrien Ag Solutions South America team is to continue providing our customers with the best quality of service and the inputs necessary for their activity”. (Nutrien Ag Solutions)
Startup from Argentina Puna Bio announced the launch of a biofertilizer for wheat made from extremophile bacteria, which are those capable of surviving in environments with extreme temperature and pressure, lack of nutrients, etc. According to the company, the product solubilizes phosphorus and helps to fix nitrogen, potentially increasing wheat yields by 11%. (Puna Bio)
Sumitomo announced that it will invest in the biocontrol product manufacturer Bio Insumos Nativa, from Chile, through Summit Agro South America, an agrochemical distribution company. Bio Insumos Nativa is the biggest Chilean player in the microbial biocontrol segment. Value of the investment was not disclosed. (Sumitomo Corporation)
According to Miguel Amado, director of innovation for Latin America at Yara, the company’s fertilizer plant in Colombia will produce “low carbon” fertilizers, with a carbon footprint 60% lower than normal. According to Amado, an investment of US$ 100 million will be made in the factory. (Yara International)
The ban on the import and use of glyphosate in Mexico was postponed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador “until a substitute is found”. According to the president, despite the “support that has been guaranteed for the scientific area, an alternative has not yet been found”. (Government of Mexico)
“Agrochemicals are tools that prevent the expansion of farming areas and reduce the consumption of resources such as water, especially in the current drought situation”, according to the Mexican Union of Agrochemical Manufacturers and Formulators. According to the Union, of the total organisms harmful to agriculture, weeds “represent 41.6%, considering reductions in yields and the costs for control, while the remainder is made up of harmful insect (28.1%), diseases (27.1%), and nematodes (3.2%)”. (UMFFAAC)
Magno Rodrigues de Carvalho is the new senior industrial head at Tecnomyl Paraguay. (Tecnomyl)
READ MORE: