A recap of the pesticide industry’s top news stories from 2018!

　　2018 Pesticide Industry or with Pesticide Many significant events have occurred in the relevant industries:
　　1. The “Technical Specification for the Application and Issuance of Pollutant Discharge Permits” issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection Pesticide “Manufacturing Industry” (HJ862-2017), used to provide guidance and standardization. Pesticide Application and issuance of industrial pollution discharge permits.
　　2. On February 4, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the “Opinions on Implementing the Rural Revitalization Strategy.” This is the 20th central document—since the start of reform and opening-up—and the 15th since the beginning of the new century—dedicated to addressing issues related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers.
　　3. In 2018, Pesticide The QR code traceability system has been officially implemented. Pesticide Products have entered a new era of QR code scanning, achieving… Pesticide Information interconnectivity, traceability, and real-time querying have enhanced… Pesticide The level of informationization in management has accelerated the industry’s drive for purification.
　　4. In 2018, as China’s environmental protection campaign intensified, Pesticide The industry is facing significant challenges. Production halts and output restrictions have tightened the supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients, driving prices steadily higher and creating a situation where products are available only at exorbitant prices.
　　5. In April, the newly established Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs was officially inaugurated. Its primary responsibilities include coordinating research on and implementing strategies, plans, and policies related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, as well as overseeing and managing the crop production sector, Animal husbandry industry, fisheries, agricultural reclamation, Agricultural machinery It is responsible for agricultural development, the quality and safety of agricultural products, and agricultural investment management, among other duties.
　　6. On May 3, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs convened a meeting on “…”. Pesticide The Implementation of the Regulations (hereinafter referred to as the “Regulations”) was discussed at a dispatch and promotion meeting. The meeting emphasized that provincial agricultural authorities must fully launch the initiative by the end of June. Pesticide Production Licensing and Restricted Use Pesticide Business licensing: Agricultural authorities at the prefectural and county levels must fully launch the process by August 1. Pesticide Business license.
　　7. China’s first industry standard for agricultural drones, the “Technical Specification for Quality Evaluation of Plant Protection Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” (hereinafter referred to as the Standard), officially came into effect on June 1, 2018. As the country’s first industry standard for plant protection drones, its promulgation and implementation will guide enterprises in standardizing the production and operation of such aircraft, thereby promoting their wider adoption and application.
　　8. Since 2018, China has designated the Autumn Equinox in the lunar calendar each year as the “Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival.” As the first national-level festival dedicated to farmers, this observance will further underscore the paramount importance of “agriculture, rural areas, and farmers” in the work of the Party and the state, foster a strong societal ethos of valuing and strengthening agriculture, rally powerful support for agricultural development, and advance the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy.
　　9. In September, the 14th meeting of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC14) of the Rotterdam Convention and the 14th meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC14) of the Stockholm Convention were held in Italy. At CRC14, the committee adopted decision guidance documents for acetochlor, hexabromocyclohexane (HBCD), and phorate (3911), and reviewed final regulatory action notifications (FRANs) concerning methyl parathion, hexabromocyclohexane, perfluorooctanoic acid and its salts, and related compounds. The committees recommended listing acetochlor and hexabromocyclohexane in Annex III of the Conventions, to be submitted to the Conference of the Parties in 2019 for consideration and final determination.
　　10. The U.S.-China trade war has impacted agricultural products, with the main affected commodities being: Soybean 、 Cotton 、 Corn , sorghum, Wheat Wait, Pesticide It is subject to certain influences. For example, increasing… Soybean Use Pesticide In terms of domestic market demand and usage, it is beneficial to China. Pesticide Exports to the South American market, impact on China Pesticide Exports to the U.S. market, among other things.
　　11. In 2018, the state comprehensively advanced the remediation of coastal chemical industrial parks. In the three coastal cities of Lianyungang, Yancheng, and Nantong in Jiangsu Province, the pharmaceutical, Pesticide The dye‑intermediate project was even included in the draft implementation guidelines under two categories—“prohibited, with no approvals allowed” and “to be phased out; existing facilities must be shut down within a specified timeframe”—sparking intense debate across the industry. Meanwhile, a well‑known agrochemical company listed on the stock exchange in Jiangsu Province was publicly named and censured by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment for severe environmental pollution, with unusually harsh language that sent shockwaves through the sector.
　　12. In June, Bayer completed its acquisition of global agrochemical giant Monsanto for US$62.5 billion. Upon closing, Bayer became the sole shareholder of Monsanto, and the newly formed company emerged as the world’s largest… seed and Pesticide The manufacturer—this also marks Germany’s largest cross-border acquisition in nearly two decades.
　　13. The General Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has issued a notice soliciting opinions on four highly toxic and high-risk substances, including phorate. Pesticide Letter of Opinion on the Adoption of Prohibitory Measures, deciding to cease the production and use of flufenoxuron effective March 25, 2019. No further applications for the registration or approval of new products containing phorate, aldicarb, or isocarbophos will be accepted. Pesticide Registration Application and Addition Pesticide Application for a production license. Revocation of products related to non‑active‑ingredient manufacturers. Pesticide Registration certificate, pertaining to the original manufacturer’s related products Pesticide The registration certificate has been amended to indicate that it is for overseas use only. Effective March 26, 2019, the use of flufenoxuron is prohibited. Pesticide The sale and use of the product.
　　14. To implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on the implementation of the national big data strategy, the National Agricultural Technology Extension Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, together with the Hefei Institute of Intelligent Machines of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the CAS Perception Big Data Industry Technology Research Institute, held a signing ceremony in Beijing for a strategic cooperation agreement on the development of plant protection big data, officially launching research, development, and application of big data technologies in the monitoring and control of major pests and diseases.
　　15. In December, the Department of Crop Production Management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued the “General Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Notice on Strengthening…” Pesticide Notice on Supervision and Administration,” with particular attention to “exclusively for export” Pesticide Are there instances of export‑to‑domestic sales, and has paraquat been illegally added to herbicides such as diquat? The inspection will focus on whether any prohibited substances have been used. Pesticide , Use beyond the permitted scope and quantity Pesticide and violations such as failure to observe the required pre-harvest interval. Special attention should be given to investigating the unauthorized use of highly toxic and acutely toxic pesticides on crops including vegetables, fruits, tea, edible mushrooms, and traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. Pesticide the behavior.
　　16. Effective January 1, 2019, the European Union will officially ban 320 chemical substances with active ingredients. Pesticide For domestic sales, which involve products that China is currently manufacturing, using, and marketing. Pesticide There are 62 varieties; use these. Pesticide Agricultural products may be returned or destroyed when exported to the European Union.