Source of the picture: VCG

Key words of the passage: fertilizer; registration; form; requirement

I. China’s Fertilizer Registration Administration System

Fertilizers are controlled by China’s registration administration system, which prohibits the importation, production, sales, use and advertising of unregistered fertilizers in China.

Prevailing revisions to the Measures for the Administration of Fertilizer Registration (Measures) have been adopted as the basis for managing fertilizer registrations. The first edition of the Measures was implemented during the executive meeting of the former Ministry of Agriculture held on June 12, 2000. Liu Xiaoqin, founder of Lagre (Beijing) Agriculture Technology Co., Ltd., was a member of its first member group. The Measures have been revised three times, with the latest revision being made according to Order No. 1 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) on January 7, 2022.

Fertilizer registration certificates are valid for five years. If a producer plans to continue producing and selling fertilizers after the validity period, it shall apply to the registration renewal within six months before the expiration of the certificate. Where no renewal application has been submitted after the expiration, the product will be automatically deregistered.

II. Fertilizer Registration Forms

MARA manages the registration, filing and supervision of fertilizers in China. Fertilizer registration forms on the ministerial-level can be either filed or registered.

Fertilizer products subject to filing includes water-soluble NPK fertilizers, water-soluble secondary element fertilizers, water-soluble micronutrient fertilizers, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium sulfate and magnesium sulfate used for agriculture.

Other fertilizer products subject to registration include microbials for agriculture, biological organic fertilizers, compound microbial fertilizers, concentrated microbials for agriculture, water-soluble fertilizers containing humic acids, water-soluble fertilizers containing amino-acids, urea and ammonium nitrate solution, calcium nitrate and ammonium nitrate for agriculture, water-retaining agents for agriculture and forestry, organic water-soluble fertilizers, soil conditioners, secondary element fertilizers, micronutrient fertilizers, slow-release fertilizers, synergistic nitrogen fertilizers, fertilizer synergists, magnesium sulfate for agriculture, microbials for soil remediation and other special products.

III. Fertilizer Registration Requirements

Fertilizer products to be registered must undergo field trials, according to relevant standards in China. The producer and the tester will be legally liable for the authenticity of trial outcome reports.

Fertilizer products must be named under applicable conventions. Misleading names are not allowed.

Any unauthorized modification to registered and approved label contents is prohibited.

IV. Prohibited Actions

- The production or sale of unregistered fertilizer products.

- The forging of fertilizer registration certificates or registration numbers.

- The production or sale of any fertilizer product whose active ingredients or contents are inconsistent with its registration and approval.

- The transfer of fertilizer registration certificates or registration numbers.

- The production of fertilizer products whose registration certificates are expired.

- The production or sale of any fertilizer products without a label on its packaging, or with incomplete labels or label contents modified without approval.