Brasília - The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply's Department of Plant Health and Inspection is coordinating a meeting today in Brasília to discuss how to control soybean rust in the country. The meeting will evaluate advances made in controlling the disease and propose activities for the 2004/2005 growing year.

Data from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Company (Embrapa) reveal that, through April of this year, the country lost 4.5 million tons of soybeans in consequence of the disease. In financial terms, the loss amounted to US$ 2 billion. By determination of the Minister of Agriculture, Roberto Rodrigues, a task force was created to combat and control the rust outbreak, which affected soybean crops in ten states. The task force includes experts, farmers, producer associations, and pesticide firms.

Clayton Campanhola, President of the Embrapa, contended that the appearance of a new species of the fungus that causes rust hampered the campaign. The disease, which comes from Asia, was noted for the first time in Brazil in 2001. Despite the problems and losses, Brazil harvested 49.8 million tons of soybeans during the last growing year, in an area exceeding 21 million hectares. Considered one of the world's largest soybean producers, the country increase its exports of the grain by over 35% last year.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Nasi Brum
Translator: David Silberstein
09/09/2004