Brazil withdraws insecticide endosulfan

Brazil has withdrawn the organochlorine insecticide/ acaricides endosulfan from the market. National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), issued Resolution 2908 in August, cancelling its registration because it is a phytosanitary product with toxicological class I. This means it can cause intoxication to people handling application. 

 

This decision, however, left thousands of coffee growers in the country without alternatives to control the Coffee Borer Beetle (Hypothenemus hampei).

 

"Coffee growers are living a serious problem. Endosulfan is the only efficient product to control the Borer Beetle. Because it is so toxic, it was prohibited for production and sales in the country", said Júlio César de Souza, a researcher at the Minas Gerais Agricultural Research Company.  According to him, "Two new insecticides with the same efficiency of endosulfan still await for the registration of Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply".

 

Used since the 1970s, endolsulfan is applied also on soybeans, cotton, cocoa and sugarcane.