Doubling Pesticide Quality Inspections... Measures to Collect Defective Pesticides Implemented

Strengthened Quality Inspection of Domestic Pesticides from May to October
Sealing and Collection Measures for Non-compliant Standards

The National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service announced on the 17th that it will double the volume of pesticide quality inspections this year from 200 types last year to 400 types. They plan to inspect the content of active ingredients and physical properties of pesticides, and if the products do not meet the standards, they will take measures such as sealing and collection.

An official from the agency explained, "The inspection targets will be expanded mainly to products from small-scale companies, which are judged to have relatively insufficient quality control, and repackaged imported pesticide products, rather than products from top domestic suppliers by shipment volume." The agency has been responsible for quality inspections of domestically sold pesticides transferred from the Rural Development Administration under the Pesticide Control Act since this year. The inspection period is from this month until October.

The main inspection items include pesticide active ingredients, which are the components responsible for pesticide efficacy (such as fungicidal, insecticidal, and herbicidal effects), and physical properties, which refer to the physical characteristics according to the pesticide formulation type, including emulsifiability, wettable powder, water solubility, powder fineness, particle size, specific gravity, dispersibility, smoke generation, and diffusion. In the case of defective pesticides, notifications will be sent to the Rural Development Administration, local governments, manufacturers, importers, and sellers to carry out sealing and collection measures for the relevant products.

Seo Hae-dong, Director of the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service, stated, “Through pesticide quality inspections conducted by the agency with a nationwide network, we will establish a stable agricultural production foundation,” and emphasized, “Companies that manufacture or import pesticides should prevent the distribution of defective pesticides in advance through their own quality control.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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