Banning pesticides could become trend in Brazil: Specialist

The prohibition of pesticides may become a trend in Brazil, following the ″green deal″ adopted by European Union (EU) countries, warned Daniel Vargas, coordinator of the bioeconomy laboratory at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV).

Recent protests by farmers in Europe have demonstrated the dissatisfaction of rural producers with the various environmental regulations imposed by the EU.

″Farmers have complained about having no practical alternative that allows them stop using these pesticides to comply with environmental requirements,″ Vargas said.

The trend is that the issue will escalate as seen in various countries, and protests will also worsen, placing the current legal organization and institutional legitimacy in question, he added.

The researcher then pointed out that this issue is of great interest to Brazilian farmers because ″what is happening in Europe is a struggle to define what is green and who is green.″

″When its court determines that it is not possible to use a molecule because it is not green, Europe automatically establishes a rule that will also apply internationally,″ Vargas said.

This is everyone selling to Europe are generally judged under the same standards to ensure the competitive equality of European farmers, so ″the risk is high″ that Brazil will also prohibit the use of some agrochemicals, he further added.

″The history of Brazil is to copy and paste the green standards established outside the country. This is one of the dramas of Brazilian reality, which is not unique to us,″ he explained.

According to Vargas, Brazil has a type of scientific and regulatory passivity that, instead of taking the initiative to create its own rules, limits it to following the standards and trends that come from abroad and understanding what it means.

″As Europe imposes this demand, the tendency is for it to spread worldwide and affect us Brazilians,″ he stressed.

He predicts that these restrictions on pesticides could reach Brazil within one to three years after the European guidelines are approved and incorporated by EU countries.

Finally, the coordinator of the FGV bioeconomy laboratory stated that if Brazil adopts an attitude based on international standards, the scenario will be ″tense and problematic.″

″If the attitude is one of pride, of looking at scientific opportunities that develop tropical standards, that invent new products and services suitable for us, we will be competitive and winners in future trade,″ he said in conclusion.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)