"China halts soy imports from Brazilian companies over pesticide contamination", 23 January 2025

...Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply informed that it had been notified by the General Administration of Customs of China about the detection of pests and coated soybean seeds exported by five Brazilian companies to the Asian country. The Chinese authorities have decided to suspend shipments of Brazilian soy to the country until the situation is clarified.

According to Reuters, the measure affected ships from Cargill Agrícola SA, ADM do Brasil, Terra Roxa Comércio de Cereais, Olam Brasil, and C.Vale. The news agency reported the Chinese authorities' decision on January 8. Brasil de Fato contacted the five companies but did not hear back...

“The maintenance and expansion of the Chinese market and trade depends on strict compliance with the required health and environmental standards, and this could lead to the need for significant changes in Brazilian agricultural practices,” says Chaib.

Alan Tygel, a member of the Permanent Campaign Against Pesticides and For Life, recalls that agroecology movements have been warning for years about the quality of Brazilian agribusiness products, which rely on the use of highly toxic and environmentally damaging chemical inputs. He criticizes Brazil's agribusiness model, which is based on an economy dependent on more developed countries, and which has its back to the implementation of a national food production policy...

“What we are seeing in this circumstance may indeed be a case of pesticide contamination, or some disease, but it could also be a political or economic barrier to Brazilian exports,” says the activist...

Brazil is the largest consumer of pesticides in the world, surpassing China and the United States combined...