Soybean seed piracy generates losses of around R $ 10 billion per year in Brazil, considering factors such as the revenue that the agricultural input production chain ceases to obtain, according to a study released on Wednesday (2) by croplife and consulting firm.
A productivity in the field below potential after planting with illegal product and deficit technology is also considered in lifting losses, as an unin certified seed makes the crop more subject to pest and disease attack, for example.
According to work, soybean pirate seeds occupied 11% of the area planted in Brazil, or more than 4 million hectares in the largest producer and global exporter of oilseeds by 2023/24. The area is equivalent to the planting of culture in Mato Grosso do Sul that season, when the country sowed 46.15 million hectares, according to official figures.
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“It is no use fertilizer, it is no use defensive … If you do not have the plant … Hence the relevance we give to the seed,” said the director of Claims, Anderson Galvão, during the presentation of the data to journalists.
The use of a legal and certified seed, produced by registered and accredited companies along with the Ministry of Agriculture, would result in an additional gain of 4 soybean bags per hectare, according to the research – as comparison, the national average productivity in 2023/24 was about 53 bags/hectare, according to data from state Conab.
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It would be more than 1 million additional tons to Brazilian production in 2023/24, a season punished with climate weather.
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The use of certified seeds, with cutting-edge technologies, could make crops more resilient to climate problems, defended the developers of the study, which highlighted productivity growth as a key factor for Brazil’s greatest competitiveness in the global market.
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The study divided the seeds used in Brazil among certificates, which total 67% of the total, and those not certified, and 22% of the total sowed in the country includes the so -called “saved” – reserved by farmers and registered with the government – while 11% are considered pirates.
According to Galvão, the work focused only on the pirates, although he commented that even the “saved”, recorded in the ministry, also produce below the potential, as they contain less boarded technology compared to certified.
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In large numbers, the end of piracy could result in an increase in revenue of R $ 4 billion to the seed production sector and R $ 2.5 billion for farmers, summarized croplife, an association that brings together companies, experts and institutions linked to the chemical pesticides, bioinsums, biotechnology and germplasm (seedlings and seeds).
In addition, additional R $ 1.2 billion could be invoiced by bran and soybean oil agribusiness, while agribusiness exports would have an additional R $ 1.5 billion, estimated.
Resilience
Galvão pointed out that “coincidentally, in states with greater ‘saved’ and non -certified seed adoption, we see very large pressure of resistant weeds”, which impacts productivity especially in an adverse climate period.
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He mentioned that Rio Grande do Sul-one of the largest soy producers in Brazil, which has been suffering from weather in recent years-stands out in the “rescue” of seeds, with 48% of the total. Practice there is very associated with producers’ cultural issues or the fact that the farmer sees a short -term benefit by paying less by the input.
“In the end, this farmer is losing productivity, in the medium and long term delivers less economic result,” he said.
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“When we compared Rio Grande do Sul, even though it has improved in recent years, the productivity of the gaucho producer is lower than in Mato Grosso, Goiás, Bahia and other states.”
The expert mentioned that the so -called “saved” seeds record “systematically” quality losses and also suffer from mechanical damage, which are small cracks where water enters. “This compromises the productive potential in the subsequent crop,” said Galvão.
Eduardo Leão, CEO of CropLife, indicated that such technologies can help the sector deal with weather as the effects of climate change intensify.
“The more uncertainties, the more you should use technology… the more technology adopted, the greater the likelihood of success or less possible failure,” he said.
Certified seeds pay biotechnology and germplasm royalties, while the “saved” recorded pay only the first, something that needs to be improved in legislation, Galvão defended.
