Uruguayan Rice Industry Grapples with Agrochemical Health Crisis

As of October 2025, Uruguay's rice industry, a key driver of the country's economy, is grappling with a growing health crisis stemming from the widespread and ill-controlled use of agrochemicals. The issue came to the forefront in the case of Julio de los Santos, a 50-year-old worker who, in 2018, was diagnosed with an occupational illness caused by exposure to pesticides.

De los Santos' ordeal is a landmark in Uruguay, where the rice sector once represented a sustainability model for Latin America. However, researchers, trade unionists, and workers have now raised concerns about the industry's failure to monitor and protect the health of its employees. Studies have found elevated levels of respiratory illnesses, cancer, and congenital abnormalities in rice-producing communities, often linked to the frequent use of herbicides and insecticides, including aerial spraying that sometimes ignores legal buffer zones.

Despite these findings, the problem remains underreported, with the government-owned insurance company registering only 938 complaints from the rice sector between 2013 and 2021, and just one linked to agrochemical use. Experts attribute this to the lack of disease notification systems and records of pesticide use, as well as a culture of denial within the industry.

The challenge now is to improve record-keeping, train healthcare professionals to recognize potential poisoning, and raise awareness among workers, employers, and policymakers about the risks associated with agrochemical use in the rice sector. As the industry continues to drive Uruguay's exports, addressing this health crisis has become a critical priority for the country.