In Uruguay, the use of illegal seeds in soybean production grew in the 2023/24 harvest

It is the first time in that period that it exceeds the value of 1,300,000 hectares. In the last 2023/24 harvest, a 10% increase in the number of producers was observed, in line with the increase in the planted area in the country. At the national level, the number of producers who plant soybeans has remained stable, with an average of 3,200 social reasons, to which about 300 producers were added in the last year. 3 million hectares were allocated for soybean production, at least once, during the last 8 years, the report states. The cultivation area grew in the three main producing departments, which account for more than 50% of the surface: Soriano, Río Negro and Colonia. However, it was reduced in Paysandú, the fourth soybean department, by about 4 thousand hectares 52% of the area cultivated in the last year was sown with seed purchased by producers, including commercial and certified categories ("labeled seed"), while 32% was sown with seed for own use within the Technological ...