Court releases use of emamectin benzoate in Brazil's Mato Grosso‏

Federal judge Jirair Aram Meguerian, part of Brazil's Federal Court of 1st region, officially authorized the use of agrochemicals that contain of emamectin benzoate in Mato Grosso, the biggest soybean producing state in Brazil. The substance is considered the most efficient to combat the caterpillar Helicoverpa armigera, and its import was authorized by Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply.

Last April, federal judge Vanessa Perenha Gasques had prohibited applications of the product in the state after a request from the Federal Public Ministry. The attorneyship affirmed that there is a report from the country's National Agency of Health Surveillance indicating there is toxicity at product that would bring damages to human health.

Now, however, an appeal was introduced by inspectors from the Ministry of Agriculture, under orders of minister Neri Geller. According to the Ministry, the court decision was supported on technical reports of the Brazilian Company of Agricultural Research (Embrapa).

Embrapa attested that the use of the substance - combined with the use of other products - avoids the resistance stemmed from the use of just one type of chemical. It also says that the emergency release to the agrochemical is conditioned to the practices of integrated management pests, which encompasses significant care towards the natural environment and human health.

"Depending on the state of pest infestation over the crop, benzoate is essential. There are situation where more control is needed, when the substance is shown as the best alternative. Measures from the Ministry of Agriculture can reassure a strong agricultural production, but worried with public health and the environment", explains Neri Geller.

For the technical manager of the Association of Soybean Producers of Mato Grosso, Nery Ribas, the court decision can shrink the losses of the last crop. According to him, emamectin bezoate is just another alternative for the execution of adequate integrated management of pests. "The products used so far were too expensive. Besides, they could lose efficiency if used continually".

A similar opinion has Júlio César Busato, president of the Association of Farmers and Irrigators of the state of Bahia. "It is very important to control this pest. It is used all over Europe, in Japan, in the United States. The product, even today, is apprehended in the west of Bahia".

The union leader also alerts for a danger: "There are just two groups of insecticides that control this plague. If we use too much, it will become resistant, and we would lose. This product [emamectin benzoate] is another set of agrochemicals that is extremely necessary", alerts him.

The use of benzoate based under the law number 12,873/2013, which authorizes the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply to declare state of "phytosanitary emergency" in the presence or risk of an outbreak of quarantine pest, such as caterpillar. Among the legal actions, there is the possibility of temporary use and import of agrochemicals, even not registered under the law if the requisites are fulfilled - for instance, the authorized use in country that regulatory practices are known. The state of Mato Grosso was recognized as in "phytosanitary emergency" in November of 2013 throughout the decree number 1.130 of the Ministry of Agriculture.