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🏴☠️ Seed money and pirated crops
About 11% of soybean seeds used by Brazilian farmers are uncertified, according to a new study. Patents and royalties for genetically engineered varieties remain the subject of ongoing legal battles
Letícia Arcoverde
April 21, 2025 • Reading Time: 2 minutes
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Pirated soybean seeds hurting Brazil’s agribusiness sector
Seed producers lose BRL 4 billion annually to pirated seeds. Photo: PixHom/Shuttestock
The use of non-certified seeds in Brazil’s soybean crops — the country’s largest agricultural product and export — costs farmers and seed producers an estimated BRL 10 billion (USD 1.7 billion) each year, according to a new study by industry group CropLife and consultancy firm Céleres.
Drawing from official production data and certified seed usage, the study found that 11% of Brazil’s soybean crop is planted with “pirated” seeds, with that figure tripling in some states.
These pirated seeds are sold without proper certification, violating Brazilian legislation and bypassing regulatory controls designed to ensure quality and safety. Certification is required both for genetically modified seeds — developed through patented technologies — and for conventional seeds selected for desirable traits such as drought resistance.
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