Brazil rejects regulations for agrochemicals on minor crops

The Commission of Environment and Sustainable Development of Brazil's House of Representatives rejected a law that would mean an expected advance for producers of the so-called minor crops. The proposal 1176/15, authored by Representative Antonio Balhmann, eases the prescription of agrochemicals for these minor crops or special crops.

The proposal determines that, with the lack of a specific product for one plague or disease, an agronomist could prescribe an agrochemical used in other crops with similar characteristics, known as the “representative specie”. The change would be fundamental, given the delay of Brazilian agencies to analyze and register new phytosanitary solutions.

"We believe it is necessary and urgent to reduce bureaucracy more effectively to speed up the procedure of authorization of agrochemicals used for crops with insufficient phytosanitary support, because the operational incapacity of the three agencies charged with evaluation and registration is notorious to vent thousands of procedures stranded with the respective bins. Besides, the priority continues to be the registration of products for major crops,” Balhmann said.

Besides, crops such as “zucchini, chayote, peppers, okra, eggplant, sweet potato, lettuce, strawberry, pineapple, and other fruits, flowers and vegetables, do not bring market interest that motivates manufacturers to face the costs and the bureaucracy of the procedure of agrochemical registrations in the country,” highlights representative Balhmann.

The justification of the proposal explains that, “similar to the frequent attribution to medical professionals, in the sense of prescribing alternate medicines for the treatment of diseases in which there is no specific recommended remedy, the professional of agrarian sciences is responsible for the emission of agronomic recipe that could prescribe a phytosanitary product not registered specifically for the use on crops with insufficient phytosanitary support, observed under the parameters established in law”.

However, the proposal was rejected after receiving an opposite view of Representative Nilto Tatto, according to whom it would release the use of agrochemicals “across the board”. “The proposal weakens the health control and environmental health, bringing an indiscriminate autonomy for the prescription of agrochemicals by the technician at the field,” affirms Tatto.

The proposal will now be analyzed by the Agriculture, Livestock, Supply and Rural Development Commission, and will follow to the appreciation of the Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Commission. In the case that some of these circumstances approve the proposal, the text loses the “conclusive character” and will be voted by all representatives. This would happen also if there is a request signed by 51 representatives.