More than 500 representatives from the soy production chain met at RPS

The cost of soybean production, the analysis of financial investment and economic return time was the topic of one of the panels debated during the 37th edition of the Soy Research Meeting (RPS), held on June 26th and 27th, 2019, in Londrina (PR), by Embrapa Soja. In this panel, producer Henrique Menarim, from Ventania (PR), presented the challenges that interfere with production planning and economic results. 

Menarim highlighted that, every year, the profitability of producers, in general, has been reduced, therefore, he considers it essential to seek traditional management alternatives and new technologies, in addition to research results that can reduce costs to guarantee sustainability of business. “Rust is an example of a problem that greatly impacts our production costs, therefore, we need to be aware of technical discussions to assist in our decision-making and minimize losses”, he reported.

In this sense, the Fungicide Assessment Network for Disease Control in Soybeans presented during the Meeting the results of cooperative trials carried out in the 2018/19 harvest in different producing regions, which evaluate the efficiency of fungicides, which helps in taking the best decision in the field, as detailed here 

The president of the Soy Meeting, Osmar Conte, highlighted the importance of the event - which brought together 550 participants - as the largest research forum on the soybean agricultural complex. “We try to bring current topics such as, for example, the scenario on the use of pesticides in soybean cultivation We also present an overview of the 2018/19 soybean harvest, discuss the phytosanitary challenges, in addition to promoting an analysis of the soybean market, presenting opportunities for different technological platforms, including conventional soybean production, which today occupies approximately 5% of the soybean area, according to the Instituto Soja Livre”, he emphasized.

The technical program included five plenary lectures, seven technical panels comprising 19 presentations and 24 presentations in technical committees that dealt with current affairs and issues in the production systems in which soy is inserted. “The committee approach allows for more specific discussions in different areas, also providing greater interaction between participants”, celebrates Conte.

The event president said that the focus of the event was centered on highlighting opportunities and presenting solutions to the challenges that soy faces. “Therefore, the program is comprehensive in terms of themes, research results and reports of practical experiences from producers who face real problems in the field”, he explains.

One of the panels, for example, highlighted the mistakes and successes in the use of genetic tools in phytosanitary management – ​​diseases and nematodes, pests and weeds. Researcher Fernando Adegas, from Embrapa Soja, evaluated biotechnology tools, mainly herbicide-resistant soybeans used in Brazil. “Analysis is relevant to help ensure that mistakes are not repeated and to value successes to ensure the sustainability of future technologies that will be launched on the market”, he says.

Researcher Maurício Meyer moderated the panel on current developments in the management and control of soil diseases, focusing on nematodes, white mold and the practice of soil management. “The information presented provided a broad overview of measures that can help in the management of soybean root diseases, which is one of the challenges for producers and technicians”, emphasized Meyer. 

Professor Paulo César Sentelhas, from the Luiz de Queiroz University of Agronomy, from the University of São Paulo, highlighted the influence of climate on soybean productivity. “We introduced concepts of climate efficiency and how they impact soybean productivity in different Brazilian regions, as well as It is important to adopt appropriate soil and crop management to ensure greater sustainability in crops”.

The event also featured a lecture by ARC's economic consultant, Matheus Pereira, who analyzed the soybean market, first considering how the trade war between the United States and China brings benefits and losses to Brazil. Another point raised by the consultant was about China's reduced demand for soybeans and the decline in grain exports. “Our idea is to present these points and try to clarify the misinformation that ends up getting in the way of decision-making,” he said.

The Soy Research Meeting also approved 65 technical works that are available on the event website www.rps2019.com.br. There was also the launch of Block Technology, details of which can be found here. Another novelty was the launch of the book The Producer Asks and Embrapa Answers, from the 500 Questions, 500 Answers Collection. See more information here.