Chlorfluazuron Becomes Development Focus    

Chlorfluazuron is a new insecticide with high effectiveness, low toxicity, low residue and environmental friendliness. It is mainly used to control pests in vegetables, fruit trees, tea leaves and cotton. Its effectiveness is especially evident in controlling pests that are developing resistance to organophosphorus, carbamate and pyrethroid insecticides. The concentration of chlorfluazuron in use is usually 12.5-50 ppm and application of 11.25-22.5g per hectare can achieve good results. It is not hazardous to fish, bees and birds. As chlorfluazuron is a green product, it has become a development focus in China since the expiry of its patent. Enterprises that have registered in China to produce chlorfluazuron active ingredient include Shandong Luba Chemical Co Ltd, Langfang Beixing Chemical Co Ltd, Zhejiang Linghua Industry Co Ltd, Shandong Tianfeng Biotechnology Co Ltd, Jiangsu Yangnong Chemical Group Co Ltd, Zhejiang Yongnong Chemical Industry Co Ltd, Weihai Hanfu Biological & Chemical Medication Co Ltd, Jiangsu Kuaida Agrochemical Co Ltd and Shanghai Vegcides Bio-Farm (Nanchang) Co Ltd, a total of 9 all together. Their combined capacity is around 1 400 t/a.
   Also, Nanjing Redsun Group Corporation and Shaanxi Pucheng Meibang Pesticide Co., Ltd. recently registered to make chlorfluazuron active ingredient. To enhance its advantage in international competition in the insecticide sector, Nanjing Redsun Group plans to launch a project to develop 3 000 t/a of chlorfluazuron capacity with around RMB200 million raised by the company itself. It is predicted that the domestic market demand for chlorfluazuron as a substitute for pesticides with high toxicity will reach more than 50 000 tons in 2012.
   Chlorfluazuron was developed by Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha of Japan in 1980. Through many years' efforts, China's research organizations such as Shandong Pesticide Research Institute have conducted systematic research on synthesis processes of chlorfluazuron active ingredient, as well as its analysis/testing methods, effects, toxicity and waste control, and have developed their production technologies. Chlorfluazuron produced in China has a content of over 95%. Owing to process improvements, the production cost is greatly reduced and it can be sold for much lower prices than imported products. Imported 5% chlorfluazuron emulsifiable concentrate is sold at around RMB130 000 per ton in China whereas the price of the domestically made product with same content is only RMB58 000 per ton.
   The impact of green barriers imposed by EU and Japan on the export of China-made agricultural products has been aggravated in recent years. Pesticide residue in food has become a major obstacle to expanding the export of agricultural products from China, quickening the pace of adjustments to the pesticide mix. In recent years, China has forbidden the production, sale and use of 23 pesticides with high toxicity such as methamidophos, N,N'-methylene bis -(2 -amino -1,3,4 -thiadiazole) and nitrofen. Nineteen other pesticides such as phorate, isofenphos-methyl, carbofuran, dicofol and omethoate are not allowed to be used in vegetables, fruit trees, tea leaves and medicinal herbs. Chlorfluazuron, which is a green pesticide with unique action mechanism and great environmental safety, meets the needs of these times and typifies the development orientation of pesticides in the world today. Vegetables are the fourth major farm crop in China and around 30 000 tons (100%) of insecticide a year is consumed to protect growing vegetables. The biggest challenge before the pesticide sector in China is to deliver new, highly effective, environment-friendly pesticides to control diseases, pests and weeds, optimize crop varieties, increase output and improve plant nutrition, and to develop and demonstrate specific applications. China's recent rapid development of agriculture has raised the requirements for planting skills and food safety. Chlorfluazuron is in line with the industrial policy of high effectiveness, great safety, low cost and convenient use, and can therefore be a focus of the development program for the pesticide sector here. Economically advanced regions of China such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou import chlorfluazuron from Japan each year to control pests in vegetables. Vegetables thus produced have sold well in the international market.