In recent years, the entry threshold for China's pesticide market has undergone significant changes. A key turning point occurred at the end of 2020 when China's pesticide regulatory authorities adjusted the acceptance standards for overseas experimental data, no longer accepting registration applications based solely on OECD GLP reports. This policy has profoundly impacted the introduction of new pesticides, especially chemical ones, reshaping the innovation landscape of the entire industry.
To clearly illustrate this change, we have comprehensively reviewed the 57 new active ingredients that received first-time approval in China between 2019 and early 2024. The data shows that the number of new active ingredient approvals has fluctuated. Among these years, 2021 was a peak period for registrations, with a total of 20 new members entering the market. This was followed by 2019 with 16; 2020 was relatively quiet, with only 6 new active ingredients approved.

A deeper analysis of this list reveals three core trends that are leading the industry's development:
1. The Green Wave Rises, with a Significant Increase in the Proportion of Biopesticides.
The list shows a frequent appearance of microbial pesticides (such as Bacillus velezensis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens), botanical pesticides, and biochemical pesticides. This clearly indicates that against the backdrop of pursuing sustainable agriculture, green and environmentally friendly biological control solutions have become a focal point for research, development, and registration, possessing huge market potential.
2. Market Strategy Shifts as Domestic Players Fill the "Post-Patent Era" Void.
Some active ingredients that are already mature in the international market but have not yet been introduced to China by multinational corporations are now being registered for the first time in China by domestic companies after their patent protection periods have expired. This is not only a manifestation of domestic enterprises seizing market opportunities but has also enriched the pesticide choices available to Chinese farmers.
3. Independent Innovation Accelerates, with Homegrown "Core" Technologies Emerging.
Most excitingly, a batch of brand-new active ingredients independently researched and developed by domestic institutions and enterprises have been successfully approved for the market. This signifies that the independent innovation capability of China's pesticide industry is steadily strengthening, taking a solid step forward from "following and imitating" to "leading and creating."
Overall, the past five years have been a crucial period for structural optimization and innovation-driven growth in China's pesticide industry. The guidance of policy and the demands of the market are jointly pushing the industry toward a greener and more independent direction of development.