EN 
PT_BR 
The challenges of soybean production and export in Mercosur – Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay – will be a prominent feature of the 10th CBSoja and Mercosoja 2025, to be held from July 21 to 24 in Campinas, São Paulo. Discussions on logistics and intellectual property and biotechnology will be a priority, highlighting the impact of the informal seed market, which does not adhere to the criteria previously established by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA).
On Tuesday, July 22, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the panel "Logistical Challenges for Soybean Exports in Mercosur" will discuss the export difficulties of the soybean-producing countries in Mercosur: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. The panel will also feature a lecture on waterways as logistical structures in Mercosur, given by Luis Zubizarreta, president of the Argentine Soybean Chain Association (ACSoja). A discussion on the current state of grain storage infrastructure in Brazil will also be presented by Edenilson Oliveira, a technician from the Coamo cooperative, and a representative of the Brazilian Post-Harvest Association. The panel will be moderated by Marcelo Alvares de Oliveira, a researcher at Embrapa Soja.
Fernando Henning – Photo – Gabriella Mendes/Embrapa
According to researcher Fernando Henning, president of CBSoja, the aim is to present an overview of the challenges facing cargo transportation logistics in Brazil, emphasizing progress made in terms of port improvements and the implementation of export corridors through the development of railways. "The panel will also address the private sector's plans for waterway transportation to transport soybeans, primarily connecting them to highways, making transportation more competitive than it currently is," he explains.
Henning also says there will be a debate on the investments made in logistics to utilize the River Plate Basin—as a waterway—by producers in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. "In Argentina, for example, they're automating processes, incorporating new technologies to reduce human intervention in cargo unloading and transshipment, for example," Henning comments.
Biotechnology and intellectual property in Mercosur
The other Mercosur-related topic will be discussed in the panel "Biotechnology and Intellectual Property in Mercosur" on Wednesday, July 23, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., moderated by Alexandre Nepomuceno, CEO of Embrapa Soja. This panel will feature a lecture on innovations in biotechnology and intellectual property as a strategic pillar, given by Vivian Nascimento of Bayer, and a discussion on molecular and imaging technologies for intellectual property protection in soybeans, given by Mariano Bulos of The + Company.
Photo: Jaelson Lucas
According to the Brazilian Seed and Seedling Association (Abrasem), the percentage of certified seed utilization in Brazil is approximately 70% per harvest. Therefore, 30% are seeds saved by the producer for use in the subsequent harvest (saved seed) or pirated seeds: seeds produced without meeting the criteria required by MAPA. In Henning's view, these 30% of seeds represent a financial impact on the sector, as well as posing a phytosanitary risk. "By using non-certified seed, a new pest or disease can be introduced into the crop, for example. On the other hand, there is the economic issue. Crop Life found that the 30% of unsold seeds represent approximately R$10 billion that are not used and, consequently, reduce investment in research for the generation of new cultivars, for example," reflects Henning.
CBSoja and Mercosoja 2025
For this edition commemorating Embrapa Soja's 50th anniversary, the central theme of CBSoja and Mercosoja 2025 will be 100 years of soybeans in Brazil: pillars for tomorrow. Considered the largest technical-scientific forum for the soybean production chain in South America, the organizing committee expects to bring together approximately 2,000 participants from various sectors.
Photo: Shutterstock
The technical program will feature four conferences and 15 panels, with over 50 presentations by national and international experts from various segments related to the soybean complex. The organizing committee approved 328 technical and scientific papers to be presented in the poster session. There will also be a focus on the challenges of soybean production in Mercosur and an international workshop, "Soybean2035: A Decadal Vision for Soybean Biotechnology," which aims to discuss the next 10 years of biotechnological tools in soybeans, with speakers from China, the United States, Canada, and Brazil.
Innovation Arena
The Innovation Arena is a space for launching products, showcasing outstanding technical papers, and presenting market-proposed innovations. More than 40 exhibitors participated in the event.
