Around 140t of imported pesticides have been seized by authorities in Brazil during the country’s largest ever operation targeting illegal pesticides.
Between July 30 to August 21, Operation Ceres was carried out by Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA), the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) and the Federal Highway Police (PRF).
The joint operation focused on identifying and seizing imported pesticides which had been produced and marketed without proper registration with the competent regulatory bodies.
Illegal pesticides
During the operation, 29 companies in 15 municipalities in the Sao Paulo area were inspected.
According to MAPA, four of the companies were banned as a result of the inspections due to risks of contamination on the production lines and the effectiveness of the product.
In total, the agencies inspected 150 products, with around 140t of biological and chemical pesticides being seized and sent for laboratory testing.
42 notices of violation were issued by IBAMA and MAPA which corresponds to around €2 million in fines.
This major operation followed the discovery of “biological control microorganisms” in fertilisers and other agricultural products by MAPA at the beginning of the year.
MAPA said that unregistered illegal pesticides post a risk to agriculture and livestock, due to the lack of origin and effectiveness of the product for controlling and combating pests.
These products also pose a danger to human health due to the exposure to active ingredients and unknown components, both for users, during product application, and for consumers.
MAPA added that illegal pesticides can harm the environment by causing death or serious damage to plants and animals.
Last year, the Brazilian government announced that it would be increasing enforcement around illegal pesticides as large criminal organisations are capitalising on the demand for products.
