The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs held a national conference on pesticide management in Beijing, outlining the direction of pesticide regulatory work.

To accelerate the development of a sound pesticide governance system and enhance governance capacity, to summarize and share experiences and best practices in pesticide management, to analyze the new circumstances and challenges facing the pesticide industry, and to formulate priorities for current and future pesticide management efforts, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs convened the National Pesticide Management Conference in Beijing on December 16.

At the meeting, Vice Minister Zhang Taolin of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs delivered an important address. He emphasized that, in the new context, effectively managing pesticide administration requires, first, a thorough understanding of the critical importance and unique role of pesticides in the national economy; second, an in-depth analysis of the new circumstances and challenges facing China’s pesticide management, thereby further strengthening a sense of responsibility and urgency; and third, the adoption of innovative approaches, the clear definition of goals and tasks, and the reinforcement of accountability to ensure the effective implementation of pesticide management. The specific points are as follows:

I. Fully recognize the importance and unique status of pesticides in the national economy.

Agriculture is the foundation of the national economy, and pesticides are an essential input for ensuring agricultural production, serving as a critical material underpinning the development of modern agriculture. Their role and status are highly prominent. Pesticides not only effectively control plant diseases and pests, safeguarding food security, but their safe application is also vital for curbing pesticide‑residue contamination and ensuring the quality and safety of agricultural products. Moreover, due to their unique position within the chemical industry chain, pesticides have become one of the key components of the national economy.

II. Conduct an in-depth analysis of the new circumstances and challenges facing China’s pesticide management, and further strengthen our sense of responsibility and urgency.

On the one hand, since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China’s socio-economic development has entered a new stage, with the national industrial sector shifting from a focus on quantitative growth to high-quality development. This transformation has also imposed four new requirements on pesticide management: first, the concept of green development calls for a new approach to pesticide development; second, supply-side structural reform demands the optimization of the pesticide industry’s industrial structure; third, the public’s aspiration for a better life necessitates stricter control of pesticide residues; and fourth, the “delegation, regulation, and service” reform places new demands on pesticide‑related administrative services.

On the other hand, the pesticide industry’s own development has also posed four new challenges to pesticide management: 1) The large number of pesticide manufacturers and products presents fresh obstacles to the sector’s comprehensive transformation and upgrading; 2) The proliferation of pesticide retail outlets introduces new challenges to the thorough oversight and regulation of the industry; 3) The vast number of pesticide users creates new hurdles for providing comprehensive guidance on safe application; and 4) The multifaceted nature of pesticide‑related tasks poses new demands on the effective fulfillment of duties and responsibilities.

In the face of new circumstances, new requirements, new issues, and new challenges, Vice Minister Zhang Taolin stated that management personnel must fully recognize the complexity and arduousness of pesticide regulatory work, thoroughly analyze existing problems, and formulate appropriate countermeasures. To this end, they are called upon to innovate their approaches, clarify objectives and tasks, strengthen accountability, and ensure the effective implementation of pesticide management.

To achieve high-quality, green development and industrial transformation and upgrading, China’s pesticide sector must strive to accomplish four shifts, according to Vice Minister Zhang Taolin. First, pesticide production must shift from quantity‑driven expansion to quality‑and‑efficiency‑oriented growth, placing greater emphasis on enterprise transformation and upgrading and on enhancing corporate competitiveness. Second, pesticide distribution must transition from product‑centric marketing to service‑oriented optimization, with a stronger focus on the scientific and large‑scale management of the pesticide‑distribution environment. Third, pesticide use must evolve from prioritizing mere control efficacy to emphasizing both high efficiency and safety, with increased attention to reducing input while boosting effectiveness and rigorously managing pesticide residues. Fourth, pesticide regulation must move from administrative approval to end‑to‑end management, with greater emphasis on ongoing and post‑event oversight and support.

Furthermore, in line with the requirements of the new development philosophy, the overarching goal for pesticide development and management is to achieve “four modernizations”: 1) intensive pesticide production; 2) professionalized pesticide distribution; 3) scientific pesticide application; and 4) modernized pesticide regulation.

To achieve the aforementioned objectives, practitioners must elevate their political awareness, firmly establish a strong sense of risk prevention, and strengthen their sense of responsibility and commitment, ensuring that they “truly implement” the following six measures: 1. Truly fulfill responsibilities for pesticide regulation; 2. Truly excel in administrative approval and management of pesticides; 3. Truly strengthen market oversight of pesticides; 4. Truly provide sound guidance on the safe and scientific use of pesticides; 5. Truly guide the development of the pesticide industry; and 6. Truly enhance capacity-building to support pesticide regulation.

Source: AgroPages World Agrochemical Network