China uses 6% of the world's water resources, 9% of the world’s farmland and 30% of the world’s chemical fertilizers to produce 26% of the agricultural products in the world. China’s annual irrigation water consumption is 360 billion tons per year but there is still an input gap of 30 billion tons. The agricultural output per water consumption was only 1 kg per ton, half the efficiency that the US and Israel achieved. Despite China leading the world in agrochemical use, with an annual chemical fertilizer consumption of 54 million tons, the average utilization efficiency is merely 30%, about 20 percent lower than in developed countries. The "high consumption but low efficiency" pattern in agricultural production has brought about a huge waste of resources and increased levels of environmental pollution, not to mention the fact that it has become one of the greatest bottlenecks constraining agricultural development. In the "National Strategic Plan for Agricultural Revitalization through Quality Enhancement (2018-2022)”, China planned to improve its fertilizer utilization efficiency to 41% by 2022, which us expected to have encouraging effects on certain agricultural inputs such as water-soluble fertilizers (WSF). Imperative Fertilization and Irrigation Integration The water-saving irrigation strategy was first put forward in 2004 and has been repeatedly emphasized by the “N01 Central Document” for 12 consecutive years. In 2011, China’s NATESC (National Agricultural Technology Extension and Service Center) identified fertilization and irrigation integration as the number one agricultural practice to be deployed nationwide. In 2015, MoA (now known as the MoARA) issued its ambitious “Action Plan for the Zero-growth of Chemical Fertilizer Uses by 2020” which means 5.33 million hectares of the farmland will be treated with an integration of fertilization and irrigation systems and the

The removal of export taxes on chemical fertilizers, the enactment of the “Soil Pollution and Control Law”, and series of new/revised fertilizer standards are bringing far-reaching effects on Chinese fertilizer market, which is invariably moving towards rationalization, high-efficient, specialization and greenization. This article offers an overall conclusion on the likeliest regulatory and market outcomes in 2019, as well as an in-depth analysis of the new tendencies. Liberalization on secondary/micronutrients claim The labeling and marking of all commercial fertilizers should conform to the national standard, “GB 18382-2001 Fertilizer Marking: Presentation and Declaration”. The mandatory standard was promulgated by AQSIQ (now known as SMAR) as early as 2001 when China has not yet developed intact and unified testing methods for secondary/micronutrients. Expedient measures were adopted to protect growers from being misled: Compound or complex fertilizers containing secondary/micronutrients are generally prohibited from claiming on their medium/micronutrient content; Secondary nutrient fertilizers should mark the name and content of each secondary nutrient as well as the total secondary nutrient. If a secondary/micronutrient in a secondary nutrient fertilizer is below 2%/0.02%, the fertilizer shall not be marked with the secondary/micronutrient; Along with the scientific development and the market penetration of secondary/micronutrient fertilizers, both the growers and fertilizer producers have realized the importance of secondary/micronutrient in agricultural production. In late 2017, MIIT and 12 other ministries drafted an amendment to GB 18382, which has been submitted for final approval. The amendment removed the restriction on secondary/micronutrient claims. Considering the time required for a compulsory standard nationwide, the revised standard is very likely to be promulgated this year. Biostimulant is r

On 1 Jul 2018, China will implement 12 new national standards for market surveillance of fertilizer products, including 6 product standards, 4 quality inspection methods and 2 classification criteria for humic fertilizers, compounded fertilizers, urea, calcium superphosphate, ammonium nitrate, liquid ammonia, fulvic acids for agricultural use and stabilized fertilizers (synergized fertilizers).

On 28 Nov 2017, China MoA’s Website released Order 8 of 2017 regarding the amendment and annulment of several ministerial regulations and other regulatory documents, of which 2 are amendments to fertilizer registration. The most notable changes are that temporary registrations are removed from the registration scheme and also there is a broadened acceptance scope of efficacy trail report.

On 23 Jan 2018, China MoA’s website released 6 guidance documents to clarify the administrative formalities of pesticide and fertilizer registration. The documents are compiled as per the requirements of State Council on standardization of administrative approval.

On 4 Dec 2017 China MIIT opened a 30-day consultation on the pending mandatory standard, “Fertilizer Grading and Requirements”. Depending on hazard identification result and harmful substance content, all fertilizers will be rated and labeled as ecological grade fertilizer, field grade fertilizer and garden grade fertilizer, which correspond to their permitted application area of organic agriculture, ordinary agriculture and garden use respectively.   All commercial fertilizers will be labeled and rated as ecological grade, field grade and garden grade, which correspond to their permitted application area of organic agriculture, ordinary agriculture and garden use respectively; Fertilizers with higher grade are subject to more stringent requirements on hazards, maximal limits of heavy metals, organic and microbial contaminants and veterinary antibiotics; Terrestrial plant growth test would be required for novel products prior to the placement on the market; Disclosure of plant growth hormone ingredient and raw materials in ecological grade fertilizers will be mandatorily required;

Biostimulant includes diverse substances and microorganisms that are utilized for plant enhancement or stimulate natural processes to benefit nutrient uptake, nutrient efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, and/or crop quality apart from its “nutrient content”. Although the term “biostimulant” has not yet been defined under any specific regulation in China, these types of products are most frequently marketed as two types of novel fertilizer: microbial fertilizers and water soluble fertilizers. As stipulated under the MoA Order 32 “Measures for the Registration Management on Fertilizer”, products fall into both categories have to be registered with the MoA prior to placement on the market.   Product under Fertilizer Registration Depending on the nature, nutrient element, origin, production process, mechanism, function and availability of official product specification, analytical method of nutrient/functional ingredient, criterion for efficacy evaluation and other considerations, products subject to fertilizer registration should be registered, labeled and marketed under 29 mandatorily generic names(AgroPedia:China Fertlizer Registration Overview): Types Mandatorily Generic Name Macronutrient Water-soluble fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium* Urea ammonium nitrate solution* Potassium nitrate for agricultural use Modified ammonium nitrate for agriculture* Calcium ammonium nitrate for agriculture use* Magnesium-potassium sulfate for agriculture use Magnesium-potassium chloride for agriculture use Slow-release fertilizer* Synergized nitrogen fertilizer Secondary Element Water-soluble fertilizer containing calcium and magnesium* Fertilizer containing calcium and magnesium Calcium nitrate for agricultural use Magnesium sulfate for agricultural

 China has not yet established the supporting technical guidance and standard for each type of novel fertilizer, which has made the registration review and market supervision very unpredictable and difficult. From a scientific and safety perspective registration application of novel fertilizer are rejected in the following five situations:

According to the Agricultural and Rural Commission of the National People’s Congress, the Ministry of Agricultural is to address fertilizer regulations and is currently engaged in cross sector talks with relevant ministries and governmental bodies.