Brazil Senators seek ASR agchem approvals

Brazilian Senators have called for the speeding up of the approval process for fungicides to combat Asian soybean rust ( Phakopsora pachyrhizi). Incidences of rust cost Brazilian farmers $1,500 million in the most recent harvest, the Senate’s agriculture commission heard earlier this month, Senator Blairo Maggi notes. That equates to some 40 million tonnes in lost production. Three Senators at the commission called for speedier registration processes, suggesting that the three registration bodies amalgamate their work to that end. The commission was taking evidence this month on complaints of delays in the approvals of products for the control of rust ( Agrow No 662, p 20).