There is less than 3 months before the prohibition of paraquat AS begins
on 1 July, 2016. In order to know how Chinese paraquat enterprises are
taking measures to deal with this situation, CCM interviewed Liu Zhiwen,
technical director of Shandong Lvbang Crop Science Co., Ltd.
CCM: Currently, paraquat producers like Nanjing Redsun Co., Ltd. (Nanjing
Redsun), Hubei Sanonda Co., Ltd., Shandong Luba Chemical Co., Ltd. (Shandong
Luba), Shandong Kexin Bio-Chemistry Co., Ltd. (Shandong Kexin) and Zhejiang
Funong Biological Technology Co., Ltd. (Zhejiang Yongnong Chem. Ind. Co., Ltd.
formerly) are going to lose market share in China's paraquat market. What kinds
of measures they have done to cope with this situation?
Liu Zhiwen: At present, only Nanjing Redsun is allowed to produce paraquat GW
in China. China has canceled all paraquat AS registrations and prohibited
new paraquat registrations. This is bad news for Shandong Kexin because it
has just developed the crystal water-containing paraquat SGX which is more
environmentally friendly. This type of paraquat SGX is quite different from the
traditional types because it is very environmentally friendly.
Despite this, the president of Shandong Pesticide Chemical Research Institute wrote
a report to vindicate paraquat. Likewise, Zhao Yan, president of Shandong
Luba wrote a report for a meeting to prove that the synthetic technology
of paraquat has low pollution, and paraquat is of great efficacy in application
as well as of good price performance. Some big paraquat enterprises have
cooperated to provide some preventive measures to greatly reduce the poisoning
effects of paraquat to humans by using the "emetic + odorizor"
technology.
Paraquat enterprises are greatly impacted by the ban on paraquat AS unless they
can develop substitutes for paraquat.
CCM: So, how about the development of non-AS paraquat? Which enterprises are
planning to promote new paraquat formulations for sale?
Liu Zhiwen: Developing new paraquat formulations is prohibited. Only Nanjing
Redsun can sell its paraquat GW. At present, no enterprises are researching paraquat
as the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China has completely
banned the registration of paraquat.
CCM: Does this mean that paraquat will entirely exit the Chinese market if new
paraquat formulations are banned? How likely will it happen and what is the
reason?
Liu Zhiwen: Yes. Parquat will entirely withdraw from the Chinese pesticide
market as only exporting paraquat TC/ formulations are allowed in China. Of
course, Nanjing Redsun can sell its paraquat GW. But after its registration
expires, the company will not be able to renew the registration. Regarding
whether Nanjing Redsun will put paraquat GW into operation and promote it to
the market, that depends on its marketing strategy.
CCM: With the ban of paraquat AS, what other herbicides will Chinese pesticide
makers choose to replace paraquat? How about the competitiveness of some
popular substitutes like glyphoste, glufosinate-ammonium and diquat? And which
enterprises are developing these products?
Liu Zhiwen: Glufosinate-ammonium is the most promising substitute for paraquat.
Now, Lier Chemical Co., Ltd. (Lier Chemical), Zhejiang Wynca Chemical Industry
Group Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Funong and Shandong Binnong Technology Co., Ltd. have
large production capacities for glufosinate-ammonium, especially Lier
Chemical. Certainly, glyphosate also has a huge market. Diquat cannot compete
with glufosinate-ammonium and glyphosate.
CCM: Since paraquat is the major downstream product of pyridine, what impact
does the ban of parquat have on the pyridine market?
Liu Zhiwen: The consumption of pyridine mainly relies on paraquat exports and
the production of diquat TC. But the consumption of diquat is not very large.
Pyridine enjoys a wide range of applications such as medicines. The pyridine
market will be affected by the ban of paraquat in the short run.
CCM: Even though China still allows the production and registration of paraquat
for export, is there really no impact on the export market of paraquat?
Liu Zhiwen: Yes. The export market will not be affected. After all, paraquat
receives recognition from many countries in the international market.
This article comes from Herbicides China News 1604, CCM
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Tag: herbicides paraquat