By Robert Birkett

The international financial crisis impacted less on the agrochemical business last year than on other agricultural sectors, such as fertilisers, the Brazilian agrochemical industry association, the Andef, says. It gave its opinion following the presentation of a study of the Brazilian 2008 pesticide market at a meeting of industry and government delegates in January. The market rose by 24% in national currency terms and by 29% in US dollars . The sector’s robust position was due to the anticipated large crop areas last year, it explains.

The Ministry of Agriculture’s chamber of agricultural input’s (CTIA) president, Cristiano Walter Simon, was bullish during the encounter. “The general perception in the food industry is good,” Mr Simon, who is also an Andef consultant, said. Brazil has a large domestic demand, while demand for fertiliser was 20% higher than average in January, and the Argentine and Australian droughts will impact on food supplies, he noted. A national fertiliser industry delegate at the meeting was also confident. He predicted higher agricultural commodity prices, making inputs, such as pesticides, cheaper on a benefit and cost basis.

Mr Simon does not expect any immediate demand in Brazil for Chinese glyphosate exports. He responded to the lowering of duties on imports of the herbicide from China . “We have to use up stocks first,” he explained.