AgroPages-Pesticide imports to Brazil jump 90% in May-Agricultural news

Brazil imported US$220.7 million-worth of pesticides in May, which represented an increase of 90.2% over April’s figure of $116 million. The data was released by the Brazilian Association of the Chemical Industry, based on information from the Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services.

In terms of volume, 25,660 tons were shipped into the country last month, an increase of 49.6% over April, when purchases from abroad reached 17,152 tons. During May, 13,440 tons of active ingredients were imported, as well as 12,219 tons of formulated products.

Comparing May to the previous year, there was a 34.9% drop in external purchases by volume. However, this was only a 6% fall in terms of volume paid in dollars, indicating that the result was significantly influenced by the high value of the U.S. currency, in terms of the acquisition of imported inputs.

In the first quarter of 2017, Brazil imported some 9,500 tons of glyphosate, three times smaller than the same period in 2016. China, with 7,300 tons, is the main country of origin, followed by Argentina and the United States.

In 2016, Brazil imported total 119 thousand tons glyphosate, including technical and formulated products. China accounted for 69% (approximately 82 thousand tons) of the total imported profucts. May and October stood out as the months with the largest import volume with the equivalent of 30 thousand tons, representing 25% of imports.