Insecticides China Monthly Report

In China, food security and food safety have been major concerns ever since. In order to ensure food security, the Chinese government endeavors to retain no less than 1.8 billion mu of arable land. However, some opinions in the agricultural field hold a different view and expressed that 1.8 billion mu arable land is a necessary condition for food production in China, but it is by no means a sufficient condition. Besides, as one key influence on food security and economic benefit, international trade of genetically modified (GM) agricultural products, could get involved in some conflicts, such as the case with the unapproved GM corn from the US returned by the Chinese government in Dec. 2013.

Pesticides could ensure food security, but against food safety. To solve the problem of irrational use of pesticides in China, pesticide enterprises are suggested to provide better technical support for farmers to use pesticides scientifically, as well as sell pesticides. Meanwhile, product structure of pesticides is adjusting, some unfriendly pesticides for environment are on the process of executive elimination by government. For instance, agricultural application of methyl bromide seems to be banned from Jan. 2015 in China. More details are shown in this issue.

The USD/RMB exchange rate in this issue is USD1.00=RMB6.1329 on Dec. 2, 2013, sourced from the People's Bank of China, except for three price updates on Jan. 8, 2014 (USD1.00=RMB6.099).