Use of biological pesticides can reduce production costs

The Datagro Harvest Opening event for Grains - Soy, Corn and Cotton featured a panel on the input market for the 2022/23 harvest. Rising costs and supply problems were the focus of discussions. According to the commercial director of Koppert Brasil and member of the board of Croplife Brasil, Gustavo Herrmann, bioinputs, as they are predominantly produced in Brazil (90% of production), have less price fluctuation than chemicals and are sold in reais.

Furthermore, biological pesticides generate a suppressive environment for agricultural pests and diseases, reducing the need for the scheduled use of chemical inputs.

“The application of biodefensive products also helps in obtaining carbon credits, making the producer’s carbon footprint negative. In the ethanol sector, where RenovaBio already exists, access to Cbios can be intensified”, explains Herrmann.

Biological inoculants are also allies in reducing costs, in addition to promoting greater productivity. This is because these bioinputs reduce the use of traditional fertilizers, promoting the biological fixation of nitrogen and other nutrients in the soil. “Around 25% of soybean producers in Brazil already use Azospirillum in their crops”, says the commercial director.

During the panel, which also had the participation of Christian Lohbauer, president of CropLife Brasil; Ricardo Tortorella, executive director of the National Association for Fertilizer Diffusion (Anda); and Euclides Jutkoski, executive director of the Brazilian Association of Agricultural Limestone Producers (Abracal), indicated the factors that have affected production chains such as: Covid-19 pandemic, conflict in Eastern Europe and climate problems.