Brazil: agrochemicals will not be approved under pressure

Pressure from the productive sector will not influence Brazil to approve new agrochemicals. This is the stance of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) in relation the continuous complaints of agriculture representatives of the country regarding the agency’s actions.

The main demand of the sector today is based on the new active substances for the Asian rust fungus. Anvisa, criticized for the delay, informed that the analysis “is being extremely complex” and that “no agrotoxic will be approved irresponsibly”.

Two substances to fight the pest are being analyzed, according to the agency.  Both were found carcinogenic for, at least, an animal species, making it necessary to conduct further research to prove this fact will not harm the man. “There are no existing proven research protocols for this analysis, and it is necessary to make a thorough assessment that guarantees we will not approve a product of this type, banned in Brazil”, Anvisa informed.

Last year the lack of new defensive options in the market damaged the reputation of the agency. Anvisa defended itself against the criticism for the delay in the ingredient analysis claiming that this does not solely happen in Brazil, but “also in the United States and in the European Union, especially when dealing with substances whose analyses show serious problems and need, in turn, further analyses to prove they are not harmful for human beings”.