Soy void begins in Rio Grande do Sul and continues until September 30

The soybean sanitary void comes into force today, established through ordinance SDA/Mapa nº 1.111 (13/05/2024). The period extends until September 30, 2024 in all regions of the state. During the sanitary vacuum, soybean plants cannot be kept alive at any stage of development.

The sanitary void was instituted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Supply (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, caused by the fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi, 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.

And from 01/10/2024 to January 28, 2025, the soybean sowing scheduled for Rio Grande do Sul will take place, referring to the 2024/2025 harvest.

According to the director of the Department of Plant Defense, Ricardo Felicetti, from the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Sustainable Production and Irrigation (Seapi), the adjustment in the sowing period, with the removal of the three zones of different periods that existed in Rio Grande do Sul was defined after an alignment meeting between Mapa, Santa Catarina Integrated Agricultural Development Company (Cidasc) and Paraná Agricultural Defense Agency (Adapar). “There was no very effective measure to maintain this calendar and other states would have influence from a phytopathological and epidemiological point of view”, assesses Felicetti.

According to him, it was important to make this change so that all producers would have an extended sowing period and guarantee the period of sanitary void, which is very important for preventing Asian rust.