The average qualification rate of pesticides circulated in China was 93.2% but only 54.4% biopesticides were eligible.
On 8 Mar 2019, China MoARA released the results of supervision and spot check on pesticides during FY2018 and the total qualification rate was 93.2%. 370 pesticides were determined to be counterfeit pesticides that added with unregistered active ingredients/ absence of nominal active ingredients. Only 54.4% of the biopesticides were found to be eligible as most of them were added with Chlorantraniliprole, Pyraclostrobin, Tolfenpyrad and other chemical ingredients.
The Ministry sampled 8,119 homemade and imported pesticides used on vegetables, fruits, tea, rice, wheat, maize, cotton, soybean and other crops, which were sampled from the market, designated distributors/producers (mostly filed with non-compliance record) and specific crops such as melon fruits, tea and Chinese herbs. The qualification rates of pesticide from these sources were 94.74%, 82.6% and 93.7% respectively.
Pesticides used on soybean, maize and rice have comparatively higher quality and the qualification rates of pesticides used on soybean, maize, rice, fruits, vegetables, tea and cotton were 98.1%, 97.7%, 95.3%, 94.4%, 93.1%, 92.5%, 90.9% and 88.5%.
The 8,119 sampled pesticides consist of 4,313 insecticides, 1,638 fungicides, 2,070 herbicides and 98 other pesticides and the qualification rates were 91.1%, 96.0%, 95.4% and 91.8%.
128 biopesticides were sample but the number of non-conforming products was 70, mainly due to the absence of nominal active ingredient or presence of illegal chemical ingredients such as Chlorpyrifos, Acetamiprid, Fenobucarb, Chlorantraniliprole, Chlorfenapyr, Beta-cypermethrin, Chlorothalonil, Pymetrozine, Emamectin benzoate, Tebuconazole, Pyraclostrobin, Tolfenpyrad, Carbofuran and Fipronil.
224 pesticides were found to have non-detectable nominal active ingredients and the most labeled ingredients were Emamectin benzoate, Chlorpyrifos, Triazophos, Beta-cypermethrin, Phoxim, Dichlorvos, Fenvalerate, Omethoate, Bifenthrin, Indoxacarb, Acetamiprid, Imidacloprid, Malathion, Fenpropathrin, Spinosad, Matrine, Iprodione, Thiophanate-methyl, Mancozeb, Thiram, Diniconazole, Pyrimethanil, Prochloraz, Propiconazol, Imazalil, Thifluzamide, Diquat and Glufosinate-ammonium.
220 pesticides were added with unregistered active ingredients and 29 of them were added with highly toxic ingredients including Terbufos, Sulfotep, Carbofuran, Phorate, Omethoate, Isocarbophos, Methomyl, Endosulfan and Paraquat.
203 substandard pesticides have inadequate amounts of nominal active ingredients and 89 of them contain less than 50% of their nominal contents.
MoARA also pointed out that 348 nominal producers denied being the producers of 579 sampled products and only 33% of these fakes were qualified.
MoARA disclosed the detailed information on 551 non-conforming pesticides as and urged that local pesticide distributors/retailers to recall the products and local agricultural authorities should take on-site inspection on the nominal producers.
The Ministry warned that 31 of the producers/nominal producers are repeat offenders. These producers will subject to prior supervision and license/registration revocation will also be considered. The presence of paraquat in non-selective formulation and chemical ingredients in biopesticide products will be thoroughly investigated
On the same day, the Ministry has also held an inter-ministerial teleconference on crackdown counterfeit agricultural input in FY 2019.
