On September 23, 2021, the Chinese Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs released a positioning paper regarding the regulatory definition of body-use mosquito repellents, which were increasingly circulated on the market in different forms such as repelling patches, lotion, liquid, and wristbands containing botanical ingredients.

On September 22, 2021, the Chinese Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs issued announcement 475 to announce the designation of 2 new testing institutes and expand the test scope of 2 existing labs, as well as amend administrative information of 5 existing labs.

On September 3, 2021, the Chinese Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs issued Announcement 468 to approve 26 new pesticides of 14 active ingredients first registered in China, including Nippon Soda’s Picarbutrazox fungicide, FMC’s Bixlozone, and a dozen biological pesticides developed by domestic companies.

On August 30, 2021, the Chinese Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs issued announcement 464 to designate 2 labs for pesticide registration and amend administrative information of 5 existing labs.

On June 23, 2021, China MoARA issued Announcement 439 to specify the test scope of 5 testing institutes newly designated for pesticide registration.

According to China Central Radio and Television, the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs (MoARA) said it will start a 3-year food safety campaign to control pesticide and veterinary drug residue and 10 highly toxic pesticides which are still in use today will be banned batchwise by 2024, including Phorate, Isocarbophos, Omethoate, Carbofuran, Methomyl, Ethoprophos, Isofenphos-methyl, Aldicarb, Chlorpicrin and Aluminium phosphide.

On June 8, China MoARA issued an official letter regarding the regulatory applicability of veterinary insecticides, aimed to clarify the applicable laws for animal-use insecticide fast emerging on the market.

From May 1, 2021, China began to carry out a new national standard of fertilizer markings “GB 178382-2021 Fertilizer Marking—Presentation and declaration”. The mandatory standard applies to both homemade and imported fertilizers circulated in China, playing an effective role in protecting farmer’s interests and promoting legitimate businesses.