Map responds to producers' requests and brings forward the deadline for the soybean void in RS

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) published SDA ORDER No. 820, in the Official Gazette of the Union (DOU) on Monday (26/06), changing the date of the sanitary vacancy for soybean cultivation in Rio Grande do Sul, which is now from July 3rd to September 30th. The new deadline anticipates the previously established by the Ministry by ten days and was a request from producers in Rio Grande do Sul, forwarded by the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Sustainable Production and Irrigation (Seapi) in March this year.

“The anticipation of the sanitary void period for soybean cultivation in the state by 10 days is the result of a request from producers, in order to better adapt the planting calendar for soybeans and other crops”, states Ricardo Felicetti, director of the Department of Defense Seapi Vegetable. The anticipation also occurs in the sowing calendar, which is now from 01/10/23 to 18/02/24.

For Felicetti, there is no harm in the phytosanitary measure, because it will enable better organization of producers to comply with the Ordinance and combat Asian rust.

The sanitary void was instituted by Mapa as one of the phytosanitary measures to control soybean rust, with at least 90 days without the crop and volunteer plants in the field. Asian rust is considered one of the most severe diseases that affect soybean crops, and can cause damage ranging from 10% to 90% of production, depending on the region.