The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has released the results of its 2020 pesticide sampling inspections, revealing 433 non‑compliant products.

Release Date:

2021-04-21

　　On April 16, the General Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued a notice regarding 2020. Pesticide Notification of the results of supervisory spot checks.
　　According to the report, in 2020 the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs conducted random inspections. Pesticide A total of 11,536 samples were tested, with 11,103 meeting the standards, resulting in an overall pass rate of 96.2%, compared to 2019. Pesticide The overall pass rate of supervisory spot checks rose by 7.6 percentage points to 88.6%.
　　A total of 433 samples were found to be non‑compliant, yielding a non‑compliance rate of 3.8%; among them, counterfeit products were detected. Pesticide (The indicated active ingredient was not detected, or other substances were added without authorization) Pesticide Ingredients: 177, accounting for 1.5% of the total number of samples tested and 40.9% of the non‑compliant samples.
　　Spot-check results
　　(1) The pass rate of products subject to random inspections is relatively high. Random inspections Pesticide A total of 8,098 samples were tested, with 7,866 meeting the standards, yielding a pass rate of 97.1%. This is 0.9 percentage points higher than the overall pass rate and 7.5 percentage points above the 89.6% pass rate recorded in the 2019 random inspection.
　　(2) The pass rate of products subject to targeted sampling inspections was relatively low. Targeted sampling inspections were conducted on products bearing the names of manufacturers that have been frequently implicated in issues in recent years; a total of 1,611 samples were inspected. Pesticide Samples (with overlap between key spot checks and special inspections) totaled 1,498, of which 1,498 were found to be compliant, yielding a compliance rate of 93.0%. This is 3.2 percentage points lower than the overall compliance rate and 10.7 percentage points higher than the 82.3% compliance rate recorded in the 2019 key spot checks. Among them, counterfeit… Pesticide 46, accounting for 40.7% of the nonconforming products identified in the key spot checks.
　　(3) The pass rate of product quality in special spot checks has improved significantly. Regarding biological… Pesticide Illegal addition of chemicals Pesticide Regarding the illegal addition of paraquat to formulations of non-selective herbicides, a special spot-check campaign was conducted, covering a total of 2,036 products (with some overlap between the special and key inspections). Of these, 1,941 products were found to be compliant, yielding a compliance rate of 95.3%, an increase of 8.4 percentage points compared to the 86.9% compliance rate observed in the 2019 special spot-checks. Specifically, 1,949 samples of non-selective herbicides, including diquat, were inspected, with 1,870 passing, resulting in a compliance rate of 95.9%. Among the 12 diquat products… Pesticide Sample, 2 units of glufosinate Pesticide Paraquat was detected in the samples (see Annex 3 for the specific list), accounting for 0.9% of the total volume of non-selective herbicide products sampled. The biological samples were randomly inspected. Pesticide A total of 87 samples were tested, with 71 passing, yielding a pass rate of 81.6%, compared to 2019’s biological… Pesticide The product pass rate of 64.0% increased by 17.6 percentage points.
　　(4) The quality of single‑component products is higher than that of mixed‑formulation products. Among the 11,536 samples tested, 8,672 were single‑component formulations, accounting for 75.2% of the total; of these, 8,353 met the quality standards, yielding a pass rate of 96.3%. The remaining 2,864 were mixed‑formulation products, representing 24.8% of the total; 2,750 of these passed quality inspection, with a pass rate of 96.0%.
　　(5) The pass rate for insecticides is lower than that of fungicides and herbicides. Among the 11,536 samples tested, Pesticide Among the samples, 5,293 were insecticides, accounting for 45.9% of the total tests; 5,048 met quality standards, yielding a pass rate of 95.4%. Fungicides numbered 2,293, or 19.9% of the total, with 2,227 passing quality checks, for a pass rate of 97.1%. Herbicides totaled 3,633, representing 31.5% of all tests; 3,518 complied with quality requirements, resulting in a pass rate of 96.8%. The remaining 317 samples were other products, of which 310 met quality standards, for a pass rate of 97.8%.
　　Main issue
　　Based on the results of supervisory spot checks, the main issues identified in non‑conforming products are as follows (when a single product exhibits multiple issues, each is counted separately).
　　(1) The labeled active ingredient was not detected. There were 111 products in which the labeled active ingredient (or one of the labeled active ingredients) was not detected, accounting for 25.6% of the products that failed to meet quality standards. The undetected… Pesticide Active ingredients include: abamectin, imidacloprid, chlorfenapyr, pyridaben, dichlorvos, carbofuran, acetamiprid, chlorpyrifos, lambda‑cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, emamectin benzoate, matrine, dimethoate, bifenthrin, cypermethrin, malathion, cyromazine, fenvalerate, nitenpyram, phoxim, bromocyhalothrin, acephate, isoprocarb, indoxacarb, propoxur, oxymatrine, prothioconazole, tebuconazole, metalaxyl, mancozeb, triazolone, difenoconazole, propiconazole, thiophanate‑methyl, tricyclazole, penconazole, epoxiconazole, azoxystrobin, trifloxystrobin, iprodione, fludioxonil, and others.
　　(2) Unauthorized addition of other substances Pesticide Ingredients. Unauthorized addition of other substances to the product Pesticide There were 93 non‑compliant items, accounting for 21.5% of all products with quality issues. Among these, three products were found to contain highly toxic substances. Pesticide Carbofuran; dichlorprop‑P (CAS: 500008-54-8) was detected in nine products, including Bacillus thuringiensis and emamectin benzoate.
　　(3) The content of the active ingredient does not meet the requirements. Among the products, 249 contained the declared active ingredient but failed to comply with the specified standards, accounting for 57.4% of all non‑conforming products.
　　(4) Counterfeiting and Forgery Pesticide Registration certificate number. Counterfeit, forged Pesticide Registration certificate number or Pesticide There were 64 samples with registration certificates that were not valid, accounting for 14.8% of the non‑conforming samples.
　　Opinion on Handling
　　(1) Investigate and prosecute, in accordance with the law, entities engaged in illegal business activities. Those suspected of illegally manufacturing or selling counterfeit or substandard products… Pesticide The operating entity shall be ordered by the local agriculture and rural affairs department to investigate and handle the matter in accordance with the law; in cases of serious violations, its license shall be revoked in accordance with the law. Pesticide Business licenses shall be revoked, and cases suspected of criminal offenses shall be referred to public security organs for investigation in accordance with the law. The sources of counterfeit and substandard products must be rigorously traced, and any production or business entities suspected of violating the law shall be thoroughly investigated. During this round of sampling inspections, it was found that two or more types of counterfeit and substandard products were being sold. Pesticide There are 36 operating entities, which have been designated as key regulatory targets; routine law enforcement inspections have been intensified, and any issues identified are addressed in accordance with the law.
　　(2) Investigate and prosecute, in accordance with the law, enterprises engaged in illegal production. The agricultural and rural affairs authorities in the locality where the manufacturer listed on the label of non‑conforming products is located shall strengthen oversight and inspection of such manufacturers, promptly investigate and handle, in accordance with the law, any suspected illegal production or business activities, and, where license revocation is warranted, revoke the relevant licenses in accordance with the law. Pesticide A production license, and request our Ministry to revoke it in accordance with the law. Pesticide Registration certificates—where criminal offenses are suspected—shall be referred to the public security authorities for investigation in accordance with the law. This is especially true in cases involving three or more types of counterfeit or substandard products. Pesticide the designated manufacturing enterprise, as well as the illegal addition of paraquat and other prohibited substances Pesticide The designated manufacturing enterprise shall be summoned for a meeting with its principal, and it shall be placed on the list of key regulatory targets.
　　(3) Crack down on unlicensed production in accordance with the law. Pesticide the act of. For unlicensed production Pesticide In cases of illegal activities, the agricultural and rural affairs authorities at both the operator’s location and the registered manufacturer’s location shall rigorously investigate, in accordance with the law, the origins of substandard products. The agricultural and rural affairs authority at the operator’s location shall take the lead in this investigation, impose lawful penalties on those engaged in illegal production and operation, and pursue the matter to the fullest extent possible, cracking down firmly and swiftly. Where criminal offenses are suspected, such cases shall be referred to the judicial authorities in accordance with the law.