Drill return to threaten coffee crops in Brazil

Not only are the current low coffee prices that concern Brazilian producers. In recent weeks, the lack of an effective and economically viable defence to combat the drill, a major pest affecting the culture, also happened to cause insomnia, which could turn into losses if an alternative is not found. And already in the next crop. The drill can be controlled with insecticides containing the active ingredient endosulfan, widely used since the 70’s. But, because it’s toxic, its sale is banned in the country since the beginning of the month, according to a resolution of the National Agency for Sanitary Surveillance (ANVISA) in August 2010. After three years, in the face of inaction that caused the hiatus, the evil is free to reach 20% of national production in the next season (2014/15), according to the National Coffee Council (CNC). Banned in 45 countries, endosulfan was in a list of 14 pesticides submitted to ANVISA for the revaluation account suspected of causing serious health problems. The Ministry of Agriculture reports that there are currently three active ingredients allowed to fight the drill: extract neen, chlorpyrifos and etofenprox. Tested, however, their efficiencies have left much to be desired, as stated by growers. Almost three weeks ago, there was a meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee for Pesticides, formed by the Ministry of Agriculture, ANVISA and the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), to discuss the Pellet of Agriculture so that two other alternatives to endosulfan be appreciated: the molecule Ciantraniliprole and another result of the combination between Clorantraniliprole and Abamectin. These products were developed by multinational corporations and represent a new group of insecticides, according to researcher Julio Cesar de Souza, from the Agricultural Research Company of Minas Gerais (Epamig). They are considered medium to low toxicity, while endosulfan is extremely toxic. These molecules were tested for four years and, according to experts, are efficient. "It's a breakthrough," says Júlio Souza. Before endosulfan, the drill infested almost 100% of the crops, points out the researcher. Today, the rate is 3% to 5%.
The drill is a beetle whose female lays eggs that hatch into larvae and eat the seed of the coffee, which causes weight loss and fruit quality.
Epamig researcher was one of those responsible for the document on the agronomic efficiency of new alternatives. The proposed registration of the two products was sent by the Ministry of Agriculture to ANVISA and IBAMA for over a year, but only this month was attached to the offer document Epamig more technical data about the need for priority analysis of the product, says Carlos Venâncio, chief of the pesticide division of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Source: Clic Folha