On March 12 2014, China MoA issued a circular to its provincial subordinates specifying the work program of its impending quality supervision campaign targeting pesticide producers and distributors.
The Ministry is to take 4750 samples and assess under, quality, and label compliance criteria. The authority will preselect 2850 samples and random sample products for the remaining 1950 tests. MoA detailed the numbers of samples to be taken from each provincial administration area and outlined that producers with unfavorable records will be prime targets of this campaign. The county, city and provincial subordinates of ICAMA will be responsible for examining these samples and pesticide labeling in accordance with regulations, most of which are specified in the quality standards and pesticide labeling regulations. The Ministry also outlined that the sampling and examination should focus on suspected unregistered active ingredient and pesticide in the “export purpose only” category. According to the latest statistics, fewer pesticides met national quality standards (see ChemLinked News Release on Jan 21 2014). This is primarily because many of the violations which previously slipped under the radar are now being uncovered by more stringent regulatory supervision.
