Pesticide use in China to fall further by 2025

    Summary: In Dec., China released the Action Plan for the Amount Reduction of Chemical Pesticides by 2025, setting the target that by 2025 the chemical pesticide use for major food crops and economic crops will reduce by 5% and 10% respectively, compared with the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016–2020).    

    In Dec., China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) released the Action Plan for the Amount Reduction of Chemical Pesticides by 2025, declaring the objectives and tasks for 2025 as follows:   

    
•       An eco-friendly prevention and control technology system for crop pests and diseases will be established;     
    
•       The rationality of structure and the safety of techniques for pesticide varieties application will be improved comprehensively, and the usage of chemical pesticides will maintain the downward momentum;     
    
•       The pest and disease control coverage of rice, wheat, and corn will reach more than 45%; high-quality and -efficient green production demonstration areas and modern agricultural industrial parks for crops such as grain, cotton, oilseed and sugar will achieve nearly full coverage.     
    
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          Compared with the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016–2020), the chemical pesticide use in the unit sown area (converted by 100% AI) for rice, wheat, corn and other major food crops will reduce by 5%, and that for fruit, vegetables, tea and other economic crops will decrease by 10%.         

      
    

            

    

      Since 2015, MARA has organised and implemented the zero-growth pesticide use campaign, which has achieved remarkable results:     

    
•       Domestic pesticide use has been on a declining trend for six consecutive years, with the average annual pesticide use of 270,000 tonnes during 2016–2020 (converted by 100% AI, same below), down by 9.4% from the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015).     
    
•       In 2021, the amount of pesticides used was 248,000 tonnes, with 16.8% less than in 2015. Major crop pests and diseases had 46% of green control cover, with 23 percentage points higher than in 2015, and 42.4% of professional control system cover, with an increase of 9.4 percentage points over 2015.     
    
•       As the structure of pesticide varieties continued to be optimised, the pesticides with low and mild toxicity registered reached over 85% of nationwide coverage and the market share of new highly active and environmentally friendly varieties increased year by year.     
    
•       The expected target of pesticide use reduction was achieved, while effectively preventing and controlling crop pests and diseases and ensuring a good harvest of grain for years.     
    

            

    

      According to the Action Plan, the following principles are required for the use of pesticides:     

    
•       Secure production in the agricultural industry while reducing pesticide use by improving pesticide use efficiency;     
    
•       juggle quantity and quality of agricultural products, with the help of the regulatory system of pesticide use;     
    
•       Minimise pesticide residue pollution and adverse effects on the environment and beneficial organisms, to realise green, sustainable pest and disease control;     
    
•       Balance between cost saving and efficiency improving, through applying pesticides scientifically and safely, and optimising control technology.