The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs responded to a question from a reporter at the Economic Daily: Nationwide, 83% of the 1,559 pesticide companies have resumed work and production, and there is an overall sufficient supply of pesticides for pest control.

At the press conference, a reporter from the Daily Economic News asked: On March 17, the State Council Executive Meeting approved the draft Regulations on the Prevention and Control of Crop Pests and Diseases, which further refine and improve the comprehensive prevention-and-control framework covering monitoring and forecasting, preventive measures, and emergency response—underscoring the critical importance of effectively managing major pest and disease outbreaks this year to ensure stable grain production. We understand that from November last year to January this year, continuous monitoring in winter corn‑growing areas across six provinces in Southwest and South China detected damage caused by the fall armyworm. At present, can the supply of insecticides and other agrochemicals in these regions be reliably maintained?

In response, Xie Yan, a second-level inspector with the Seed Industry Administration Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, stated that, according to expert forecasts, this year is expected to see relatively severe crop diseases and pests. Specifically for wheat, the main threats are stripe rust and Fusarium head blight, while for corn, the primary concern is the fall armyworm.

Xie Yan stated that, at present, wheat stripe rust has broken out across more than 10 million mu in nine provinces spanning the Southwest, the Han River basin, and southern Huanghuai, while the fall armyworm has also been detected in the Southwest and South China. In response to this year’s severe pest and disease situation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has proactively formulated contingency plans, disbursed control funds ahead of schedule, ensured adequate supplies, and promptly organized winter–spring prevention and control efforts.

As of March 19, the cumulative area treated for wheat stripe rust totaled 12.69 million mu, 1.2 times the area where the disease has occurred. For fall armyworm, the cumulative treated area reached 770,000 mu, 1.26 times the area affected; overall, preventive measures have been largely implemented wherever necessary, with some areas and fields receiving two rounds of treatment.

“Regarding pesticide use, according to our dispatch data, the overall supply of pesticides for disease and pest control is sufficient,” said Xie Yan. He added that, first, the resumption rate among the nation’s 1,559 pesticide manufacturers has reached 83%, while the resumption rate at 250,000 pesticide retail outlets stands at 91%, nearing pre‑pandemic levels.

Secondly, with regard to the urgently needed pesticides for wheat stripe rust and Fusarium head blight, as well as sclerotinia stem rot in rapeseed, 94% of the 156 pesticide‑producing enterprises have resumed operations, enabling them to supply 65,000 tons of targeted formulations and thereby meet current demand.

Third, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has optimized its list of recommended pesticides for fall armyworm, approving 28 formulations, with stockpiles sufficient to control this pest across 600 million mu of farmland.

He stated, “Going forward, we will focus on disaster prevention and ensuring a bumper harvest, firmly enforce local responsibilities, strengthen monitoring and early warning systems, and ensure the effective implementation of all preventive and control measures.”