Inor Ag. Assmann
22
Piracy is viewed as the worst hurdle for the
soybean seed supply chain, it causes damage
to all links of the soy supply chain. Currently,
fighting this illicit practice that causes damage
to Brazilian agribusiness is a priority of the sec-
tor, under the coordination of the Brazilian As-
sociation of Soy Seed Producers (Abrass). The
fight against the production, trade and use of
illicit seed was defined as a strategy for 2016,
alongwith the creationof aprogramknownas
Best Practices for the Production of Soy Seed.
According to the president of the entity,
Marco Alexandre Bronson and Souza, piracy
is not only harmful to the seed business, but
to the entire agricultural production system
in the Country. “In 2015, we carried out rel-
evant initiatives in partnership with state en-
tities, focused on efficient inspection work,
warnings about the presence of seed pirates,
publicity campaigns and close contact with
the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and
Highly efficient
The production of soy seed in Brazil
amounts to about 35 million 40-kilogram
sacks per growing season, according to data
released by the Brazilian Association of Soy
Seed Producers (Abrass), involving from 250
to 300 producers. Over the past years, the
sector has been rising in line with the bigger
areas devoted to soybean in the Country -
5% a year, on average. We are self-sufficient,
our seed production fulfills our national
demand, from 35 to 38 million 40-kilogram
sacks”, says the president of the entity,
Marco Alexandre Bronson e Souza.
According to the official, in 2015 Brazil
shipped abroad 1,636 tons of soy seed to
our neighboring countries in South America,
and a small portion of African countries. At
present, the biggest buyer of our soy seed
is Paraguay, with 1311 tons. With regard to
imports, seed purchases from abroad are
insignificant and are mainly for research
purposes. In 2015, imports amounted to
976 tons – from Argentina.
Soybean
supply
chain is getting ready
for fighting the
production, trade and
use of illicit soybean
seed all across Brazil,
in an attempt to stop
this threat
Uprooting
the illicitseed
problem
MUITO LEGAL
On Track
Produção brasileira de soja
(toneladas)
Estados
2013/14 2014/15
Bahia
296.688 246.399
Ceará
1.445 1.364
Distrito Federal
44.760 42.478
Goiás
297.981 341.799
Maranhão
– 4.337
Minas Gerais
190.490 244.188
Mato Grosso do Sul
15.336 42.906
Mato Grosso
311.255 339.869
Piauí
564 15.295
Paraná
256.642 216.305
Rio Grande do Sul
141.089 232.587
Santa Catarina
94.956 101.047
São Paulo
30.558 30.145
Tocantins
95.177 126.112
Total
1.776,941 1.984,831
Fonte:
Sistema de Gestão e Fiscalização (Sigef)/
Mapa; Abrasem
Food Supply (Mapa) on the subject, in an at-
tempt to create awareness of the scope of the
problem”, he comments. The president re-
calls that Abrass officials delivered by hand to
Agriculture Minister Kátia Abreu a list of com-
plaints from all over Brazil.
In 2016, the question is kept under close
watch. While newmeasures are implemented
for eliminating the illicit trade, seedcompanies
are celebrating their recent conquests, like the
ever-increasing engagement and union of the
segment. “Abrass has increasingly assumed the
position as themain representative of the seed
producers, and this has strengthened the sec-
tor in its recent and coming initiatives taken
within the national agribusiness context”, he
says. For the future, the expectation is for an
even better structuredmarket.
