The control of aerial applications of agrochemicals in San Luis will be intensified. Without exception, spraying with aircraft must have prior approval from the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development, and pilots must take specific courses to acquire the necessary skills.
A working group formed by the Environmental Inspection area of the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development and the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC) held a meeting where a set of actions was determined to improve the registration and control of pilots and aircraft carrying out phytosanitary applications.
Actions for control and inspection of aerial applications of agrochemicals in San Luis
The meeting was attended by Alex Simioli, head of the Monitoring, Control, and Environmental Inspection Area, and Omar Blanco, head of the San Luis Airport and representative of ANAC. One of the central axes of the meeting was the data cross-checking to verify the situation of pilots and aircraft in San Luis.
They also discussed the actions to be implemented to strengthen the control and inspection of aerial applications of agrochemicals in the province, emphasizing that San Luis does not have drones authorized by ANAC to carry out these actions.
In accordance with Provincial Decree No. 1962/2014, all pilots and aircraft carrying out spraying with agrochemicals must be registered with the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development.
Requirements for certification
Additionally, ANAC requires a specific authorization for both pilots and aircraft, including planes and drones. To obtain certification, it is mandatory to take a course of approximately one year in duration in Córdoba or Buenos Aires and pass a rigorous evaluation check.
Rural producers or pilots interested in meeting the requirements to carry out spraying with aircraft must first register with the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development and then complete the mentioned courses.
What is aerial application of agrochemicals like?
Aerial application, or what is informally known as crop spraying, involves spraying crops with pesticides (agrochemicals) and other phytosanitary products from an agricultural aircraft. Some types of crop plantations also include aerial seeding.
The specific application of fertilizers is known as aerial topdressing. Many countries restrict aerial spraying of pesticides and other products due to environmental and public health risks like spray drift.
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