The changes in the quantity and structure of pesticide registration in China in 2020 are correlated with the changes in market environment, market demand and regulatory policies. Here is a collation of China's pesticide registration data in the first half of 2020,  based on theChina Pesticide Registration Watch, along with an analysis from different perspectives, in a purpose to provide reference for manufacturer’s future pesticide registration proceeding.

1. Summary of pesticide registration in the first half of 2020

In the first half of 2020 (January – June 2020), 474 new pesticide registrations were granted in China, including 445 field-use registrations and 29 sanitation-associated registrations. In 2020, this registration number increased by 378% comparing to 2019, but was a respective decrease of 59% and 87.34% over 2017 and 2018. 

Following a sharp decline in the pesticide registrations in 2019, there was an apparent rebound in registrations in the first half of 2020, but there is still a significant gap compared to 2017 and 2018.

2. Features of registrations in the first half of 2020 

1)Pesticide category

The largest number of registrations include herbicides (172), fungicides (113), insecticides (96) and plant growth regulators (33).

2)Formulation type 

A total of 34 formulation products were registered, of which, the top five formulations were SC (116), EC (67), SL (47), OD (47) and GR (35). SC still prevails over other formulations.

3)Product name

Among single agents, clothiandin (10), thiamethoxam (8) and metamifop (8) were the mostly registered products; the mostly registered mixtures include the mixture of cyhalofop-butyl with metamifop (9), the mixture of etoxazole with bifenazate (5) and the mixture of fluoroglycofen-ethyl with glufosinate (5).

4)Active ingredients.

Of the 205 active ingredients, the top five registered active ingredients were pyraclostrobin (28), clothianidin (24), pyridoxine (24) and metamifop (21).

5)Manufacturers 

In the first half of 2020, 240 manufacturers were granted registrations. Among them, Jiangxi Zhonghe Chemical and Hailir Group each received 10 registration certificates, making the two companies the manufacturers with largest number of registrations.

6)Crops

The registrations in the first half of 2020 covered applications to more than 70 kinds of crops, which are mainly rice, citrus tree and wheat.

7)Biopesticide

In the first half of 2020, a total of 54 biopesticides were registered, including 17 biochemical pesticides, 7 microbial pesticides, 29 agricultural antibiotics and 1 botanical pesticide, whilst in 2019 only 22 biopesticides were granted registration.

3. The first spodoptera frugiperda control product granted registration 

China's spodoptera frugiperda control still faces challenge. It is worthy of note that in this June, the registration of the first product to be used for control of spodoptera frugiperda was approved, where Shanxi Luhai Pesticide Science and Technology Co., Ltd was granted registration of its 30 billion spores/g beauveria bassiana WP (registration number PD20190002) for extended application to cornfield spodoptera frugiperda, bradysia odoriphaga and forest fall webworm (previously registered for use in cornfield european corn borer).

Information shows that beauveria bassiana is a fungal microbial insecticide, which penetrates insect's body wall, respiratory tract and digestive tract to infect host, degrade body wall and destruct insect tissue, thus causing insect’s death. In 2019 and 2020, the product was consecutively chosen and included in the spodoptera frugiperda emergency control product list, as recommended by Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.