Harvesting problems create record levels of mycotoxins in corn

The content of mycotoxins (toxins of natural origin that affect crops and create health risks for livestock and poultry) in Russian corn for the 2022-2023 season. "breaks all possible and impossible records." This was stated by the Director General of the Institute for Agricultural Market Studies Dmitry Rylko at a meeting of Rosptitsesoyuz on February 28. Video posted on VK.

Rylko did not answer the questions of "Vedomosti", they could not comment on the situation in the "Rosptitsesoyuz".

A specific level of mycotoxins was not indicated. The Technical Regulations of the Customs Union allow maximum values from 0.02 to 1 mg per kg depending on the type of mycotoxin.

The reason for the high level of mycotoxins (produced by mold fungi. - Vedomosti) is the difficulty in harvesting in the center of the country, the Volga region and Western Siberia, Rylko said at a meeting of Rosptitsesoyuz. Due to adverse weather conditions, corn remained in the fields for a long time. “There is a lot of her, but there are serious problems with her,” Rylko warned.

Exceedances of the established norms were noted in the center of Russia - in the Lipetsk, Tambov, Belgorod regions, a representative of the Rosselkhoznadzor confirmed. But across the country, the Grain Quality Assessment Center (under the jurisdiction of Rosselkhoznadzor) records a 27% decrease in mycotoxin detection, he added.

A representative of the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that in some areas, corn harvesting in 2022 took place in adverse weather conditions.

Corn is one of the main elements of the poultry feed basket, says Albert Davleev, president of Agrifood Strategies. He clarified that this grain provides energy, which allows birds to convert protein obtained, for example, from soybean meal, into muscle mass. A source at one of the agro-industrial companies adds that corn also gives improved taste to meat and is responsible for a more consumer-friendly color of the carcass.

But, according to the interlocutor, Russian poultry farmers actively use this feed only if it is affordable, and this year it is due to the high yield. Sovecon estimates the cost of feed corn on February 22 at 10,100 rubles. per ton, whereas a year ago it cost 13,625 rubles. per ton.

Mycotoxins are poisons that primarily affect the immunity of birds, its weakening leads to health problems, says Davleev. According to him, the high level of their content in corn has become one of the factors that now there is a trend towards a gradual slowdown in production.

To neutralize the harm from mycotoxins, says a source in one of the poultry companies, it is possible by adding adsorbents to the diet, but this leads to additional costs. According to the National Union of Poultry Farmers, the industrial supply of poultry meat in January 2023 decreased by 6% to 416,000 tons year-on-year.

Mycotoxins are dangerous for all types of animals, added a representative of the Miratorg ABH. According to him, this year we had to bear additional costs for the use of preservatives and adsorbents in the preparation of feed.

At the end of December 2022, Sovecon predicted a corn harvest of 13.7 million tons. The agency then specified that this was significantly lower than initial estimates due to difficult weather conditions. In September 2022, Sovecon estimated the future harvest at 15.5 million tons. In early February 2023, Rosstat reported on a corn harvest of 11.8 million tons.