Registration situation for insecticide profenofos in China

Date:02-20-2009

Profenofos, mainly applied to control pest on cotton and fruit trees, is registered by more and more producers in China, especially for single formulation and its mixed formulation. In the past three years, its registration has maintained a rapid growth. By 30 December 2008, the valid registration number of profenofos has amounted to 145, including 21 technical, 71 single formulations and 53 mixed formulations, up 31% year on year, mainly attributed to the growing demand driven by the ban on the 5 highly toxic pesticides in China since 2007.

The number of new registrations has increased rapidly in recent three years, especially the single formulation and mixed formulation. The following table shows the registration situation of profenofos in recent 5 years in China.

By 30 December 2008, 21 pesticide companies had registered to produce profenofos technical in China. These companies mainly include, Zhejiang Yongnong Chemical Company (Zhejiang Yongnong), with the capacity of 2,000t/a and Tianjing Pesticide Company with the capacity of 1,000t/a. It is noted that most profenofos technical registration had been completed before 2004.

The valid registration number of its single formulation has totaled 71 by 30 December 2008, up 13% year on year. The valid registration number of its EC formulation is 67, accounting for 94% of its single formulation registrations, among which 40% EC is the most popular single formulation registered.

The registration of profenofos mixed formulation is much hotter than that of its single formulation. The valid registration number of its mixed formulation has totaled 53 by 30 December 2008, up 96% year on year. The mixture of profenofos with cypermethrin is the most popular mixed formulation of profenofos registered. These mixed formulations are mainly registered to control cotton bollworm.

As for the driver for the growing registration of profenofos in China, Mr. Zeng, a manager from Zhejiang Yongnong, reveals that the major reason is that profenofos is recommended to be the insecticides substituting for the five highly toxic insecticides in China. Profenofos is recommended to be one of the alternative insecticides for the five highly insecticides in China, as it is an environmentally friendly insecticide with high control effect, low toxicity and low residue and it is safe to human and most animals.