China’s Latest Pesticide Import and Export Data Analysis: 2024 Exports Exceed 2 Million Tons, Accounting for 90% of Pesticide Production! 

Analysis of China’s Pesticide Imports and Exports from 2011 to 2020: Export Pesticide Prices Gradually Increased, Imports Declined 

A review of pesticide exports over the past decade, from 2011 to 2020, shows stable pesticide export volumes (converted to 100% purity). During the 12th Five-Year Plan period, total exports were 4.79 million tons, with an annual average of 960,000 tons. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, total exports were 4.73 million tons, with an average of 950,000 tons. There were two fluctuations during this period due to continuous stringent in environmental protection policies. 

Pesticide exports are the primary driver of industry development. China’s pesticide export volume accounts for approximately two-thirds of its total pesticide production, and these exports have driven the growth of pesticide production. 

Statistics of China’s Pesticide Export Share from 2011 to 2020 

China’s pesticide trade is primarily export-oriented, with minimal imports. On an annual average basis, over the past decade, pesticide exports were 952,000 tons, while imports were 26,000 tons, with imports accounting for 2.7% of the total import and export volume. In terms of value, exports were 52.96 billion RMB, and imports were 3.81 billion RMB, with imports accounting for 6.7% of the total import and export value. 

Analysis of China’s Pesticide Export Value from 2011 to 2020 

Export pesticide prices gradually increased, while import prices declined. Over the past decade, export pesticide prices have continuously risen, while import pesticide prices have gradually decreased. The price of imported pesticides has decreased from approximately three times the price of exported pesticides to about two times. 

Analysis of China’s Pesticide Import Data from 2011 to 2020 

The proportion of technical pesticide exports has decreased year by year. The proportion of technical pesticide exports has gradually declined, with the volume share decreasing by ten percentage points and the value share decreasing by four percentage points over the past decade. 

Analysis of China’s Technical Pesticide Export Data from 2011 to 2020 

Analysis of China’s Pesticide Exports in 2020: Herbicide Exports Dominate, Export Destinations Highly Concentrated 

Herbicide exports dominate: In 2020, in terms of volume, herbicide exports accounted for 71%, insecticides for 15%, fungicides for 12%, and plant growth regulators for 2%. 

Analysis of Various Pesticide Export Data from China in 2020 

High concentration of export destinations: In 2020, exports went to 180 countries and regions. In terms of value, 24 countries had exports exceeding $100 million, accounting for 79% of the total export volume and 75% of the total export value. 67 countries and regions had exports exceeding 100 million RMB, accounting for 97% of the total export volume and 96% of the total export value. 

The top ten export destinations accounted for more than half of the total exports. In 2020, the largest export destinations were Brazil and the United States, accounting for 27% of the total export volume and 25% of the total export value. 

Analysis of China’s Pesticide Export Destination Data in 2020 

Technical pesticide export destinations: In 2020, technical pesticide exports went to 113 countries and regions. In terms of value, 13 countries had exports exceeding $100 million, accounting for 76% of the total technical pesticide export volume and 73% of the total technical pesticide export value. 43 countries and regions had exports exceeding 100 million RMB, accounting for 96% of the total export volume and 97% of the total export value. 

Analysis of China’s Technical Pesticide Export Destination Data in 2020 

Shanghai Customs is the largest port for pesticide exports. In 2020, pesticide exports involved 33 customs districts. In terms of value, the top ten customs districts accounted for 97% of the total export volume and 97% of the total export value. Among them, Shanghai Customs stood out, accounting for 75% of the pesticide export volume and 78% of the value. 

Analysis of China’s Top Ten Pesticide Export Customs District Data in 2020 

Significant Increase in China’s Pesticide Export Volume in the Past Three Years, 85% of Total Production Was Exported from 2021 to 2023 

In the past five years, pesticide export volume (converted to 100% purity) has significantly increased, with a total export of 7.86 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 73%. The annual average was 1.57 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 74%. Export volume accounted for approximately 85% of the annual production in 2021, 2022, and 2023. 

Analysis of China’s Pesticide Export Volume and Annual Production from 2021 to 2023 

Pesticide Export Situation During the Pandemic 

Pesticide Export Situation in the Past Five Years 

Technical and Formulation Pesticide Export Situation in the Past Three Years 

Statistics of Pesticide Export Data in the Past Two Years: Export Prices Significantly Dropped Starting in 2023, Returning to Levels of a Decade Ago Overnight; Pesticide Export Volume Exceeded 2 Million Tons in 2024, Reaching a Historic High 

Exports now account for 90% of pesticide production. In 2024, pesticide export volume reached a historic high of 2.05 million tons, nearly 500,000 tons more than in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 32%. The proportion of exports to production increased by another 5 percentage points from the nearly 85% in the past three years, reaching nearly 90%. 

China’s pesticide production capacity is undoubtedly excessive, but current production is not excessive, as almost all produced pesticides have been sold, meaning the additional production in 2024 was absorbed by exports. 

Statistics of Pesticide Export Data from 2020 to 2024 

Export prices have significantly dropped by nearly 20%. Before and after the pandemic, pesticide prices experienced significant fluctuations. In 2020, the first year of the pandemic, pesticide export prices decreased by 12%, followed by a significant increase of 56% in 2021 and 2022. 

The two years following the pandemic saw another significant drop, with a 29% drop in 2023 and an 18% drop in 2024. The pesticide export price coefficient is on par with 2013 and 2014, returning to levels of a decade ago overnight. 

Statistics of Pesticide Export Prices from 2020 to 2024 

Increased inventories of technical pesticide enterprises. In the past five years, technical pesticide inventories have increased year by year. In 2024, pesticide inventory reached 276,000 tons, accounting for 12.1% of the annual production, indicating the initial emergence of pesticide production overcapacity. 

Statistics of Technical Pesticide Inventory Data from 2020 to 2024 

From an overview of pesticide imports and exports from 2011 to 2020 to an analysis of the trends in the past five years from 2020 to 2024, China’s pesticide exports have generally shown a continuous growth trend. In particular, 2024 saw exports exceed 2 million tons, reaching nearly 90% of pesticide production. On one hand, this indicates the international market’s preference for Chinese pesticide products, playing a positive role in the stable development of Chinese enterprises and the improvement of economic benefits. However, it is also important to recognize that the export of large quantities of low-priced pesticides will inevitably lead to high inventories and market saturation in the international market, which may cause sluggish sales in the international market for a certain period and seriously affect the supply and demand balance of the pesticide market. Therefore, pesticide enterprises should have a clear understanding and judgment of the future trend of pesticide exports to avoid bringing themselves passivity and significant losses. 

This article is published by China Informatics internal industry editor and research team. For more information please contact at the given contact form.