After a few years of changes and shifts in markets, we are now witnessing the gradual stabilization of the global agrochemical market. In terms of regional distribution, Europe and North America remain the traditional pesticide consumer markets, and demand is relatively stable. The demand for pesticides in Asia and Latin America continues to rise, as well as the level of economic development and agricultural modernization. That is how we can currently observe a changing trend that points to Asia and Latin America as the world’s most important consumer markets for pesticides.

Since the 21st century, China’s pesticide industry has developed rapidly. The Asian country has become the world’s largest producer and exporter of pesticides, and has consistently worked to establish a complete pesticide industry system. In recent years, influenced by national policies, the overall development of China’s pesticide industry has nevertheless seen a gradual slow-down. It is, however, expected that the industry will develop healthily under the promotion of the new policies, focused on industry integration, and an increase in terms of industry concentration.

Some small and medium-sized pesticide companies in China have gradually closed their doors under the increasingly high environmental protection pressure. At the same time, some influential companies mainly for technical materials have begun to enter the formulation field to enhance their market competitiveness, and some formulation companies have also accelerated their expansion into the upstream supply chain to actively gain the initiative. In the future, the domestic pesticide industry will observe a trend of integrated development of technical materials and formulated products. With the increasing awareness of environmental protection and food safety in most sectors of society, environmental protection requirements are also increasing. China’s pesticide companies will develop in the direction of innovative new drugs and production of high-end products. It is imperative for them to change their development ways and competitive strategies. And only by adapting to the market can they achieve a stable and dominant position to face global competition. Meanwhile, with the professional technical team and rich experience, REACH24H will help pesticide enterprises complete various registration, adjust enterprise layout to enter a diversified development and achieve greater economic benefits.

Compliance Review

China’s Pesticide Risk Assessment Model and Related Guidance Documents are Gradually Improved

Risk assessment reports are a new feature in pesticide registration. In 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs developed a model of surface water exposure for pesticide dry-land, which solved the previous limitation in the inability to evaluate surface water in the early stages.

Consultation Draft on Featured Minor Crops Released

In March 2019, the Department of Crop production, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, together with the Institute for the Control of Agrochemical, Ministry of Agriculture(ICAMA) organized and formulated the List of Minor Crops for Minor-crop Use Pesticide Registration 2019 Edition, List of Crop and Pest Groups for Efficacy Trail on Minor-crop Use Pesticides (2019 Edition) and List of Crop and Pest Groups for Residue Trail on Minor-crop Use Pesticides 2019 Edition according to Administrative Measures for the Registration of Pesticide and Data Requirements on Pesticide Registration. It would be as a reference when organizing Minor crop pesticide registration and review.

China’s New Version of Food Pesticide Residue Limits is Published

On August 15, 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly issued the GB 2763-2019 National Food Safety Standard: Maximum Residue Limits of Pesticides in Foods. It sets a limit of 7,107 residues of 483 pesticides in 356 food products. Compared with the 2016 edition, there were 50 new types of pesticides and 2,967 pesticide residue limits, the number of types of pesticides and product limits exceeded the number established by the Codex Alimentarius Commissions (CAC) for the first
time, marking a new level of pesticide residue limit standards in China.

Application for Change of Holder of Pesticide Registration Certificate is Standardized

Since November 1, 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has incorporated the service for the change of holders of pesticide registration certificates into its list of government services. That is applications for change of pesticide registration certificate holders, pesticide registration certificate or label replacements, pesticide registration certificate or label corrections, additions to the pesticide registration database, the amendment to the license of or registrants and producers as well as the reissuing of certificate of designated testing facility for pesticide registration, among others. Applicants need to log onto the “China Pesticide Digital Supervision & Management Platform” to submit an application online and send the necessary information through the window of the Government Service of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.