Growth of bioinputs in Brazil is 30% annually, almost double the global average

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa), the production of bioinputs for agriculture in Brazil has grow at an average annual rate of 30%, faster than the global average of some 18%.

Even with the expansion witnessed in recent years, biologicals still utilize fewer technologies compared to agrochemicals, according to registrations granted for the past five years.

Data from the Ministry of Agriculture showed that, in the last three years, 1,006 pest control products were registered, of which 748 are chemical and 258 are biological, including those approved for organic agriculture numbering 124 and representing 25.6% of the total approved since 2019

Carlos Goulart, Director of Mapa's Department of Plant Health and Agricultural Inputs

Carlos Goulart, Director of Mapa's Department of Plant Health and Agricultural Inputs, said, ″Bio-inputs are being widely applied as soil growth promoters. There is a study showing that in the coming harvests, it may account for 50%. In some cultures, it will stop being the exception and will become the rule.″

Caio Almeida, Manager of Toxicological Safety Assessment at the National Health Surveillance Agency, Anvisa

Caio Almeida, Manager of Toxicological Safety Assessment at the National Health Surveillance Agency, Anvisa, added that a bioinput ″is more than complementary, it is part of integrated pest management.″

During a lecture held at the Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa (Insper), under the theme, ″Use of Technologies and their Controversies,″ the two specialists also spoke about the registration process for bioinputs in Brazil.

Goulart affirmed that biological pest control agents should have a ″differentiated regulatory treatment,″ which can facilitate the registration process.

Currently, bioinputs are still regulated by the same law as agrochemicals, which requires analysis by the three regulatory bodies as stipulated by law. In addition to MAPA, they also need to submit to Anvisa and the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama).

Regarding the future trends for pest control, Goulart predicted a need for biological herbicides, and the company that manages to develop this technology will ″break the bank.″

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)