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The most important herbicides are those with glyphosate and paraquat and are in great demand by farmers. The two differ in that the first kills weeds systematically and the other on contact. In the market there are more than 60 brands of herbicides containing glyphosate as raw material - imported - and 10 brands with paraquat. This product had a turnover of more than USD112 million in 2008. These products are imported and there are more than 60 companies that market them. The leading companies are Agripac, Ecuaquímica, Bayer and others. Herbicides are part of the pesticide family, which includes inputs called fungicides, insecticides and nematicides. Fernando García, director of Croplife, which groups the transnational companies producing these inputs, says that in the country glyphosate is mixed with other products and packaged for marketing. For each crop there is a different formula.
About the author
Oswaldo Martínez Rengel. He is an Agronomist Engineer from the Universidad Central del Ecuador, with a postgraduate degree from the Universidad Técnica De Esmeraldas "Luis Vargas Torres" and a Master's Degree in Environmental Management. Expert in agricultural goods qualified by the Superintendence of Banks and Insurance, Superintendence of Companies and Council of the Judiciary.
