The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has issued a notice on the “Key Work Points for Pesticide Management in 2020.”

On February 12, 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs published on its official website a notice regarding the “Key Work Points for Pesticide Management in 2020.” The full text of the notice is as follows.

To the Departments (Bureaus, Commissions) of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (Agriculture and Animal Husbandry) of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government, and to the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps:

Pesticide management is vital to the stable development of agricultural production and the effective supply of the market, as well as to the quality and safety of agricultural products and the sustained increase in farmers’ incomes. To implement the spirit of the Central Rural Work Conference, the National Conference of Directors of Agricultural and Rural Departments, and the National Conference on Pesticide Management, our Ministry has formulated the Key Tasks for Pesticide Management in 2020. These are hereby circulated to you; please, in light of local conditions, earnestly strengthen pesticide supervision and management, and promote green and high-quality agricultural development.

General Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

February 10, 2020

The year 2020 marks the completion of the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and the concluding year of the decisive battle against poverty. Therefore, effectively managing pesticide use to ensure both agricultural production safety and the quality and safety of agricultural products is of paramount importance. The overarching guiding principle for pesticide management in 2020 is to earnestly implement the spirit of the National Conference of Directors of Departments of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the directives of the National Pesticide Management Conference, uphold the new development philosophy, and focus on high-quality and green pesticide development. With the objectives of restructuring the sector, enhancing quality, and ensuring safety, we will adopt a strategy that combines short-term measures with long-term solutions, addresses both symptoms and root causes, and gives equal weight to regulation and service. This will involve streamlining approval processes, strengthening market oversight, and accelerating the establishment of a modern pesticide industry system characterized by innovation-driven growth, environmental sustainability, high quality and efficiency, and standardized management. Through these efforts, we aim to continuously enhance our capacity and level of pesticide management, thereby contributing to bumper harvests and safeguarding the quality and safety of agricultural products.

I. Optimize management and services to enhance the quality and efficiency of pesticide approval.

(1) Strict approval standards. At the registration stage, further refine the pesticide registration management system and review guidelines, standardize technical reviews, expert evaluations, and administrative approvals, enhance the quality of approvals, and ensure the safety and efficacy of pesticides. Strengthen training, guidance, and oversight of pesticide registration testing institutions to guarantee the quality of registration trials. At the production stage, impose stringent market access requirements, optimize production site planning, cap the number of newly established enterprises, and require relevant pesticide producers to locate within chemical or industrial parks in accordance with regulations. Encourage the development of highly efficient, low‑risk pesticides, phase out outdated production capacities that are highly polluting and pose significant risks, and steer the pesticide industry toward high‑quality growth. At the distribution stage, rationally plan the network of pesticide retail outlets in line with agricultural production needs, rigorously assess operators’ technical capabilities, facilities, and management systems, strictly regulate the approval process for designated sales points handling restricted‑use pesticides, and standardize pesticide marketing practices.

(II) Optimizing approval services. In line with the State Council’s “delegation, regulation, and service” reform principles, we will launch a series of measures to streamline pesticide administrative approvals—namely, “three reductions and one optimization” (reducing required documents, steps, and time limits while optimizing approval services)—to enhance efficiency and alleviate the burden on enterprises. We will actively promote online processing, improve the administrative approval service platform, and vigorously advance online applications, online reviews, and electronic certificate issuance, thereby accelerating the move toward paperless administrative approval for pesticides. We will also refine the management of pesticide registration trials and explore extending the scope of filing requirements to include new‑pesticide registration trials. Furthermore, we will strengthen the green‑channel policy for pesticide registration and approval, creating a favorable environment for the registration of biopesticides, alternatives to highly toxic pesticides, and products tailored to niche small‑scale crops. We will continue to support registration trials for specialized small‑scale crop pesticides, encourage active participation by pesticide companies, and expedite the registration process. In addition, we will organize joint registration trials and group‑based registration for specialty small‑scale crop pesticides, further speeding up the pace of pesticide registration.

(3) Establish an exit mechanism. In the area of pesticide registration, prioritize periodic evaluations of pesticide active ingredients that have been registered for more than 15 years, such as fipronil, atrazine, carbendazim, and glyphosate. For those posing serious harm or significant risks to agricultural production, human and animal health, the quality and safety of agricultural products, or the ecological environment, strictly scrutinize applications for renewal of registration and progressively implement measures to revoke registration or impose restrictions on their use. In terms of pesticide manufacturing, rigorously review applications for the renewal of production licenses; applications submitted after the prescribed deadline or failing to meet the required conditions for pesticide manufacturers will not be approved. Encourage enterprises to merge and restructure, and phase out a number of small pesticide producers with weak competitiveness.

4. Enhance import and export management. Conduct research and formulate policy measures to further improve services for the administration of pesticide imports and exports, thereby supporting enterprises in expanding overseas. Revise the list of pesticides subject to import and export controls and reduce the number of regulated pesticide varieties. Accelerate the implementation of online processing for pesticide import and export procedures, striving to achieve paperless operations across the entire process and enhance trade facilitation.

II. Strengthen market supervision and management to ensure the quality of pesticide products.

(5) Conduct quality supervision and random inspections. In accordance with the “double-random, one-public” requirements, intensify oversight and random inspections of pesticide products by adopting a combined approach that integrates random checks, targeted inspections, and priority audits. Randomly sample pesticides available on the market, and carry out special inspections to address violations such as the addition of chemical pesticides to biopesticides, the incorporation of highly toxic or high‑risk pesticides into low‑toxicity formulations, and the unauthorized inclusion of hidden ingredients—such as paraquat—in non‑selective herbicides like diquat. Increase the frequency of inspections for products from enterprises listed on the “blacklist.” Publicly disclose the results of sampling and testing, and welcome public oversight.

(6) Conduct market supervision and inspection. In accordance with the duties conferred by the Regulations on the Administration of Pesticides, conduct unscheduled inspections of pesticide production, distribution, and use. In the production stage, the focus is on verifying whether manufacturers have entered designated industrial parks as required, whether their licenses and permits are complete, whether production management complies with standards, whether product quality meets specifications, and how well they have implemented QR‑code labeling and established and utilized traceability platforms. In the distribution stage, inspections concentrate on whether brick‑and‑mortar stores and online retailers engage in illegal sales of prohibited or restricted pesticides, “export‑only” pesticides, or counterfeit and substandard products, as well as on the maintenance of pesticide‑sales records and the identification and mitigation of safety hazards associated with pesticide storage. In the application stage, the emphasis is on detecting violations such as the use of banned pesticides, the application of pesticides beyond approved scopes, or failure to observe required pre‑harvest intervals.

(7) Strictly investigate and prosecute violations. Strengthen inter‑regional cooperation, inter‑departmental coordination, and vertical linkage; adopt a coordinated approach of inspection and enforcement, and ensure seamless connection between administrative and criminal proceedings, to rigorously address counterfeit‑producing and counterfeit‑selling activities—particularly those involving the illegal production, operation, or use of prohibited or restricted pesticides, as well as practices such as diverting products intended for export back into the domestic market. For pesticide‑related violations that span multiple regions, the agricultural and rural affairs authorities of the relevant jurisdictions shall share information and collaborate on enforcement. Any acts suspected of constituting criminal offenses shall be referred to the judicial authorities in accordance with the law, so as to effectively cleanse the pesticide market.

(8) Enhance the quality traceability system. Leveraging modern information technologies such as blockchain, accelerate the development of a nationwide unified quality traceability system, and progressively establish a single, integrated national network for pesticide quality traceability. Improve regulations on label management, implement QR‑code linking between internal and external pesticide packaging, and gradually achieve end-to-end traceability across the entire pesticide value chain—from production and distribution to application.

(9) Establish an integrity system for manufacturing enterprises. Drawing on the experiences and practices of relevant industries, develop a set of integrity evaluation indicators for pesticide manufacturers, promote the establishment of a national platform for sharing credit information on pesticide enterprises, and put in place mechanisms for sanctioning dishonest behavior and incentivizing compliance, thereby providing support for approval and regulatory oversight, policy support, and the promotion and application of products.

III. Strengthen guidance for industrial development and promote the transformation and upgrading of the pesticide industry.

(10) Formulate industrial development plans. The Ministry organized the drafting of the National Pesticide Industry Development Plan (2021–2025), which sets out the guiding principles and objectives for the pesticide industry during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, and establishes a top-level design covering aspects such as production site planning, capacity scale, product mix, and policy measures, thereby fostering the sustained and sound development of the pesticide industry.

(11) Strengthen information monitoring and early warning. Conduct monitoring of pesticide production, sales, and use to promptly track market dynamics, and issue forecasts and warnings for significant supply‑demand gaps and abnormal price fluctuations. Implement safety risk monitoring for pesticides, with a focus on risks such as crop injury, human and animal poisoning, agricultural product quality and safety, and environmental pollution during the application process, and establish a system for risk monitoring, early warning, response, and reporting. Accelerate the development of an information‑based pesticide management framework, enhance the digital regulatory platform for pesticides, and strengthen information interconnectivity across administrative approval, quality traceability, and market supervision.

(12) Strengthen oversight of workplace safety. In accordance with the principle that “those in charge of an industry must ensure its safety, those in charge of a business must ensure its safety, and those in charge of production and operations must ensure their safety,” firmly establish a safety-first mindset, and urge and guide pesticide producers, operators, and users to fulfill their primary responsibility for workplace safety, improve their safety management systems, identify potential hazards, implement preventive measures, and make every effort to ensure production safety.

(13) Establish standardized pesticide‑retailing service outlets. In the major production areas of vegetables, fruits, and tea, select 500 pesticide retailers that demonstrate a solid operational foundation, strong technical expertise, and a commitment to integrity and compliance with the law. Continue to implement the initiative to create standardized pesticide‑retailing service outlets, vigorously promoting the “six‑standard” model—covering retail premises, product offerings, business practices, technical services, management systems, and waste‑recycling—and using these outlets as demonstration sites to enhance the capacity and quality of pesticide‑management services, thereby ensuring the quality of pesticide products.

(14) Actively yet prudently advance the phase-out of highly toxic pesticides. In accordance with the “Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Deepening Reform and Strengthening Food Safety,” and in line with the goal of phasing out, in stages and batches, the ten existing highly toxic pesticides within five years, we will carry out work to eliminate these high‑risk pesticides. Based on thorough surveys and research, we will formulate a plan for phasing out highly toxic pesticides, adopting the principle of tackling easier issues first before moving on to more challenging ones. By 2020, we will select two to three highly toxic pesticides, conduct risk assessments and feasibility studies, and, when appropriate, implement bans.

IV. Strengthen scientific guidance on pesticide use to promote reduced application rates and enhanced efficacy.

(15) Establish and improve a system for the safe and rational use of pesticides. In accordance with the requirements of the Regulations on the Administration of Pesticides, promulgate departmental rules governing pesticide use, clearly defining the responsibilities and obligations of pesticide users, standardizing pesticide application practices, strengthening oversight and guidance on pre-harvest intervals, and thereby enhancing both pesticide-use efficiency and the quality and safety of agricultural products.

(16) Strengthen training and guidance on the safe use of agricultural chemicals. In conjunction with the implementation of initiatives such as the “High-Quality Farmer Training Program,” enhance technical training at all levels on the safe application of pesticides, and carry out demonstration and promotion of scientific pesticide‑use practices, including new pesticides, advanced technologies, and innovative approaches, to ensure rational selection of products, precise application, and safe usage. Further refine emergency‑use measures to meet the needs of urgent pest‑control efforts, such as those targeting the fall armyworm. County‑level agricultural and rural affairs departments should prioritize training for farmers in key production areas of fruits, vegetables, and tea, as well as in regions with weak technical capacity and areas where pesticide residues exceed regulatory limits; agricultural and rural affairs departments at or above the county level should intensify guidance and support services.

(17) Deeply advance the reduction and increased efficiency of pesticide use. Vigorously promote and apply green pest‑control technologies such as biological control, ecological regulation, and physicochemical trapping; replace chemical pesticides with biopesticides and highly toxic pesticides with low‑toxicity alternatives; widely deploy high‑efficiency plant protection machinery and professional, integrated pest‑management services; strengthen the integrated application of scientific pesticide‑use practices; and continuously improve pesticide utilization rates to achieve both reduced usage and enhanced efficacy.

(18) Strengthen guidance on the collection and recycling of pesticide packaging waste. In accordance with the Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Law, in collaboration with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, we have formulated and issued the Measures for the Management of the Collection and Treatment of Pesticide Packaging Waste, clearly defining the obligations of pesticide producers, operators, and users to collect such waste. We will carry out pilot projects tailored to local conditions, explore viable recycling models, and provide guidance to all regions to ensure the effective implementation of pesticide packaging waste collection and recycling efforts.

V. Strengthen Capacity Building and Enhance the Governance of Pesticides

(19) Strengthen institutional capacity and personnel development. In accordance with the Regulations on the Administration of Pesticides and the responsibilities assigned by the institutional reform, establish dedicated pesticide management agencies staffed with full-time personnel, and enhance the capacity of institutions responsible for pesticide testing, plant protection, and related functions, thereby building a team of pesticide regulators and technical support specialists who are well-versed in policies, regulations, and professional practices.

(20) Strengthen talent development and skills training. Organize pesticide management training courses at all levels to enhance law-based oversight and scientific management of pesticides. Conduct two nationwide specialized training sessions on pesticide management, with a focus on provincial-level personnel involved in pesticide regulation, enforcement, and supervision, as well as key personnel from prefectural and county-level authorities. At the provincial level, prioritize training for pesticide management officials and representatives of pesticide-producing enterprises; at the county level, emphasize training for pesticide retailers and users.

(21) Improve the pesticide standards system. In accordance with the requirements of pesticide registration management, quality supervision, and agricultural product quality and safety management, organize the formulation and revision of 1,000 pesticide residue standards; accelerate the development of quality standards for pesticide products and general analytical method standards for the determination of active ingredients in pesticide products; and actively promote the formulation and revision of technical standards supporting pesticide registration and safe use, thereby progressively refining the pesticide standards system.

(22) Strengthen material and financial support. Actively seek to increase investment in pesticide management, with a focus on supporting quality supervision and random inspections, the substitution of highly toxic pesticides, the registration of pesticides for specialty minor crops, information monitoring and early warning systems, technical training, the collection and recycling of packaging waste, and training and guidance on the safe use of pesticides, thereby ensuring the orderly and effective advancement of all related work. In conjunction with the implementation of the Plant Protection Project, establish a number of provincial-level pesticide risk‑monitoring centers and their associated monitoring stations to enhance pesticide risk‑monitoring capabilities.

(23) Promote international cooperation and exchange. Uphold the path of openness and collaboration, strengthen cooperation and exchanges with relevant international organizations and countries on pesticide management, and support the implementation of pesticide-related conventions such as the Stockholm, Rotterdam, and Basel Conventions, as well as official reviews of technical trade measures. Organize the 52nd session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR), and actively advance mutual recognition of pesticide registration test data.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs