Article Focus Summary: This article reports on the newly released 2025 pesticide management plan by the Shandong Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, focusing on regulatory priorities, industry restructuring, safety supervision, product quality enhancement, and digital governance improvements.
Strategic Restructuring of the Pesticide Industry
On April 14, 2025, the Shandong Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued its annual guidance document titled “Key Points for Pesticide Management Work in 2025.” The directive sets forth comprehensive strategies to modernize the pesticide sector, enhance regulatory oversight, and drive sustainable agricultural development.
The province plans to realign its pesticide industry layout through research aligned with the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan. Authorities aim to develop strategic industrial clusters by encouraging pesticide enterprises to move into designated industrial zones. Support will be directed toward the integration and scaling of leading companies, while small and non-compliant producers face consolidation or phaseout.
Environmentally damaging and high-risk capacities will be systematically eliminated. Specifically, the production licensing for phosphine-based pesticide formulations will be revoked, with strict monitoring remaining for authorized producers.
Promoting High-Efficiency and Environmentally Friendly Products
Shandong will accelerate the development and registration of high-efficiency, low-toxicity, and eco-friendly pesticides. Innovations in new formulations, stereoselective synthesis, and bio-pesticide technologies will be prioritized. Additionally, new pilot policies will encourage registration of drone-compatible formulations.
The province intends to launch industry-wide innovation exchange events and supportive policy instruments aimed at stimulating R&D among enterprises.
Tightened Safety Supervision and Licensing Controls
To reinforce compliance, Shandong will implement stringent controls over new production licenses, enforcing a “one company, one license” rule. Enterprises must meet rigorous environmental and safety standards. A comprehensive “look-back” review of licensing approvals will be conducted to ensure continued compliance.
A provincial safety inspection campaign will be launched, targeting the entire pesticide supply chain from production to end-use. Enterprises handling high-toxicity or hazardous pesticides will be under intensified scrutiny.
Streamlining Retail Operations and Enhancing Market Oversight
The plan includes structured development of pesticide retail networks. Retailers must meet stricter licensing requirements and are encouraged to adopt traceability and real-name purchasing systems for restricted-use pesticides.
Local authorities will conduct full-coverage inspections of retail outlets, supported by random sampling and “fly-checks” by provincial teams. Non-compliant businesses risk forced exit from the market.
Standardized pesticide retail outlets—at the national, provincial, and county levels—will be promoted to ensure consistency in product display, operational protocols, staffing, and waste recycling.
Strengthening Product Quality and Inspection Systems
The province will intensify its pesticide sampling and testing protocols, focusing on peak usage periods and key regions. A multi-level regulatory framework ensures coordinated inspection efforts across administrative levels.
Detection agencies will receive capacity-building support, while manufacturers must implement comprehensive quality control systems. Electronic traceability codes will be mandated to ensure end-to-end product accountability.
Enhancing Pesticide Usage Monitoring and Reduction Initiatives
Authorities will supervise pesticide use across farms, cooperatives, and agribusinesses. Monitoring will cover traceability, origin verification, and compliance with safety intervals.
Green pest control techniques—including biocontrol, ecological management, and intelligent spraying—will be promoted to reduce chemical pesticide dependency.
Combatting Counterfeits and Online Infractions
Joint enforcement actions will target unauthorized online pesticide sales and counterfeit products. Violations involving banned or unregistered pesticides will be subject to criminal prosecution.
Special campaigns will address illegal use and production of substances like methyl bromide and dichloropropene, as well as fly-repellent products masquerading as pesticides.
Advancing Digital Management and Data Integrity
Digital governance will be expanded through the promotion of pesticide traceability systems and the rollout of tools like “LuNong Code” for real-name purchases and QR code-based supervision.
Shandong will conduct a comprehensive census of its pesticide production and retail infrastructure, building detailed profiles for each enterprise and retail unit. Efforts will also support accurate and timely national-level data reporting.
Supporting Waste Recycling and Public Education
The province will enforce laws governing pesticide packaging waste recycling, developing an integrated recovery system in collaboration with environmental and supply agencies.
Training and public awareness campaigns, including the “Shandong Pesticide Lecture Hall,” will promote legal compliance and safe pesticide usage among stakeholders.
Industry-Wide Impact and Export Implications
The cumulative impact of these measures is expected to reshape Shandong’s pesticide sector by reinforcing compliance, enhancing product standards, and filtering out non-compliant operations. While such reforms may introduce short-term adjustments and operational costs for domestic manufacturers, they also lay the groundwork for a more robust and credible industry landscape. From an export perspective, enhanced regulatory alignment and improved traceability could bolster international confidence in Shandong’s pesticide exports, though tighter controls may also increase the cost and complexity of market access for smaller players.
