Mercosoja 2025 discusses logistics and seeds in Mercosur

The challenges of soybean production and export from Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay) will be a prominent feature of the X CBSoja and Mercosoja 2025, to be held from July 21 to 24 in Campinas, São Paulo. Discussions on logistics and intellectual property and biotechnology will be a priority, with the aim of highlighting the impact of the informal seed market: it does not comply with the criteria previously established by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA).

On Tuesday, July 22, from 17:18 p.m. to 30:XNUMX p.m., the panel "Logistical Challenges for Soybean Exports in Mercosur" will discuss the export difficulties of the soybean-producing countries in Mercosur: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. The panel will also feature a lecture on waterways as logistical structures in Mercosur, given by Luis Zubizarreta, president of the Argentine Soybean Chain Association (ACSoja). A discussion on the current state of grain storage infrastructure in Brazil will also be presented by Edenilson Oliveira, a technician from the Coamo cooperative, and a representative of the Brazilian Post-Harvest Association. The panel will be moderated by Marcelo Alvares de Oliveira, a researcher at Embrapa Soja.

According to researcher Fernando Henning (pictured), president of CBSoja, the aim is to present an overview of the challenges facing cargo transportation logistics in Brazil, highlighting progress made in terms of port improvements and the implementation of export corridors through the development of railways. "The panel will also address the private sector's plans for waterway transportation to transport soybeans, primarily connecting them to highways, making transportation more competitive than it currently is," he explains.

Henning also says there will be a debate on the investments made in logistics to utilize the River Plate Basin—as a waterway—by producers in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. "In Argentina, for example, they're automating processes, incorporating new technologies to reduce human intervention in cargo unloading and transshipment, for example," Henning comments.

Biotechnology and intellectual property in Mercosur  

The other Mercosur-related topic will be discussed in the panel "Biotechnology and Intellectual Property in Mercosur" on Wednesday, July 23, from 17:18 p.m. to XNUMX:XNUMX p.m., moderated by Alexandre Nepomuceno, CEO of Embrapa Soja. This panel will feature a lecture on innovations in biotechnology and intellectual property as a strategic pillar, given by Vivian Nascimento of Bayer, and a discussion on molecular and imaging technologies for intellectual property protection in soybeans, given by Mariano Bulos of The + Company.

According to the Brazilian Seed and Seedling Association (Abrasem), the percentage of certified seed utilization in Brazil is approximately 70% per harvest. Therefore, 30% of the seed is saved by the producer for use in the subsequent harvest (saved seed) or pirated seed: seeds produced without meeting the criteria required by MAPA. In Henning's view, this 30% of seeds represents a financial impact on the sector, as well as posing a phytosanitary risk. "By using non-certified seed, a new pest or disease can be introduced into the crop, for example. On the other hand, there is the economic issue. Crop Life found that the 30% of unsold seeds represents approximately R$10 billion that is not used and, consequently, reduces investment in research for the generation of new cultivars, for example," reflects Henning.

CBSoja and Mercosoja 2025 

For this edition commemorating Embrapa Soja's 50th anniversary, the central theme of CBSoja and Mercosoja 2025 will be 100 years of soybeans in Brazil: pillars for tomorrow. Considered the largest technical-scientific forum for the soybean production chain in South America, the organizing committee expects to bring together approximately 2 participants from various sectors.

The technical program will feature four conferences and 4 panels, with over 15 presentations by national and international experts from various segments related to the soybean complex. The organizing committee approved 50 technical and scientific papers to be presented in the poster session. There will also be a focus on the challenges of soybean production in Mercosur and an international workshop, "Soybean328: A Decadal Vision for Soybean Biotechnology," which aims to discuss the next 2035 years of biotechnological tools in soybeans, with speakers from China, the United States, Canada, and Brazil.

Innovation Arena

The Innovation Arena is a space for launching products, showcasing outstanding technical papers, and presenting market-proposed innovations. More than 40 exhibitors participated in the event.