Brazil’s Mapa publishes new rules for aerial operations on bananas

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa) of Brazil, published on April 8 new rules (Normative Instruction No. 13) on the aerial application of fungicides and mineral oil in banana plantations in the country.

The demand, which signifies a great technological advance, comes from the rural producers themselves. The text was constructed with the collaboration of interlocutors in the sector, MAPA and the Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply of the State of São Paulo. The measure will contribute to the security in the application of pesticides and to the legal security of rural producers, who depend on this type of application.

In 2019, the State of São Paulo produced nearly one million tons of bananas. In addition to domestic consumption, it is a product exported to several countries in South America, such as Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. Most of the production in the state is concentrated in the Vale do Ribeira region.

Aerial spraying with crop protection products on bananas is the most efficient form of phytosanitary treatment. The reason is explained by the architecture of the plants: outlined by countless and huge leaves, which close the planting streets, mechanized treatment is more difficult within the crop. Earlier, when the use of aircraft was prohibited, pests were controlled with hand-held sprayers. In addition to being a more dangerous operation for rural workers, the volume of product used was not the most adequate.

The standardization of the spraying of pesticides for the cultivation of bananas by air also opens space for a technology that is increasingly present in the field: drones. “It is not today that these small machines, remotely guided, have worked to combat agricultural pests. Its mode of action is revolutionary, applying pesticides only at focal points and in an exact amount. The reduction in products reaches 90%. The producer, the consumer and the environment win,” Secretary of Agriculture and Supply, Gustavo Junqueira said.

The original Portuguese version of this piece is from SÃO PAULO GOVERNO DO ESTADO.