Rio Grande do Sul launches anti-hail system for municipalities

The state government has launched a public notice to support the implementation and maintenance of anti-hail systems in the Serra and Campos de Cima da Serra regions. Fourteen municipalities, including Caxias do Sul and Bento Gonçalves, have joined the project, with an additional ten expressing interest. The initiative aims to mitigate damage to agriculture and urban areas caused by hail.

To fund the initial structure, Sicredi Serrana has committed over R$ 6 million for the installation of approximately 130 protection units. The system primarily utilizes ground generators that release silver iodide into the atmosphere to reduce hail size before it reaches crops.

In addition to these silver iodide systems, some producers utilize sonic cannons. These devices use controlled acetylene gas explosions to generate hypersonic waves intended to break hail into smaller, less damaging particles. While public systems are being expanded, some regions still rely on private equipment to protect sensitive crops like apples.