Rafael Pereyra Pigerl, deputy of the Frente Renovador misionero was one of the authors, last year, of the opinion that was approved this Thursday, June 22, banning the use of glyphosate and its derivatives in agricultural exploitation. The head of the Natural Resources Commission told La Nación newspaper: “Glyphosate is a poison and it is time to eradicate it”.
The regulation states in article 7: “The use of glyphosate, its components and related substances is prohibited throughout the province. It is established that this prohibition comes into force two years (2) after its official publication for the purpose of a progressive transition of the cultural change of the productive systems”.
If the opinion was approved by a large majority, the opposition Juntos por el Cambio did not agree with the two-year deadline for obtaining pesticide substitutes. The law states that a cultural change in production systems towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices must be promoted.
The tobacco, tea and yerba mate production chambers have lobbied for the law not to be passed. Its inclusion on the agenda this Friday was a surprise and it was passed despite criticism from the business sector.
The argument that they will be at a disadvantage compared to producers in other provinces or neighbouring countries who will be able to use glyphosate clashes with the growing consumer demand for products that escape permanent fumigation.
Among the objectives of the law are the generation of collaborative work to promote the development of biological inputs, improve the use of water, the growth of crops in the province with organic purification methods and the use of bio-inputs, as well as the use of techniques related to the recycling of organic materials to improve soil fertility, biological control of pests and diseases, and the use of seeds from organic production systems.
With information from La Nación, Página/12, Conclusión, La Gaceta and Argentina Forestal.