“The problem has become urgent.” Karin Guendel Gonzalez, Head of Bayer Crop Science in Germany, recently made a rare and frank admission before German media: European agriculture is fighting a war “without sufficient weapons.”
She was not referring to fertilizer shortages or agricultural machinery issues – but pesticides.
01 Starting with a Planthopper: The Reality of European Farmers Having “No Available Products”
In Germany, a planthopper species (Pentastiridius leporinus) is rapidly spreading through sugar beet, potato, and vegetable fields.
More critically: farmers can find virtually no “conventionally approved” insecticides legally available for use.
In European agricultural discourse, terms like “existenzbedrohend” (existentially threatening) are uncommon – yet increasingly invoked.
This is not an isolated case.
02 Over 80 Active Ingredients Withdrawn: Europe’s Pesticide System Is “Bleeding Out”
According to statistics from the German Industrial Federation’s agricultural division, more than 80 chemically synthesized active ingredients have exited the European market since 2019. During the same period, not a single new chemically synthesized active ingredient has received EU approval.
The ingredients being phased out or facing imminent elimination are precisely the “system pillar products,” including:
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Flufenacet: a core molecule for European cereal herbicides, with usage authorization extended only until December 2026.
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Fludioxonil: a key fungicide for seed treatment and cereal disease control.
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Cypermethrin: the EU Court of Justice has requested re-examination of its approval.
What has gained approval in recent years consists largely of “basic substances” like garlic extract – which struggle to fill the efficacy and application gaps.
03 The Issue Isn’t Just “Stringency” – Approval Logic Has Fundamentally Shifted
The transformation of Europe’s pesticide system is no accident.
Under the framework of EU Regulation 1107/2009, approval logic has shifted from “risk assessment” to “hazard assessment.”
This means: rather than focusing on the actual risks of pesticides under reasonable usage conditions, regulators now emphasize the potential hazards of single components at high concentrations.
The result: many mature molecules used for decades are being systematically eliminated during re-registration phases.
At the national level, the problem amplifies further. In Germany, product registration involves four separate agencies, with the Environmental Protection Agency wielding effective veto power – creating approval cycles that routinely stretch for years.
04 European Agricultural Contraction: Where Will Pesticides Be “Squeezed”?
A natural inference: European production declines → imports increase → pesticide demand shifts to other regions.
This logic isn’t wrong – but incomplete.
On one hand, pesticides indeed “follow crops”: Europe’s self-sufficiency rates for grains, oilseeds, fruits, and vegetables face sustained pressure; South America, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia become major supplementary production zones; pesticide demand is migrating from European farmland to overseas fields.
On the other hand, Europe hasn’t “let go.” Reducing domestic pesticide use doesn’t equate to relaxing residue requirements for imported agricultural products. The EU’s MRL limits, prohibition lists, and inspection systems are extending regulatory boundaries to overseas farmland.
05 An Overlooked Reality: Global Pesticides Are “Flowing in Layers”
From an industry perspective, pesticides aren’t simply “flowing out of Europe” – they’re being diverted in three distinct directions:
Category One: EU Supply Chain Crops (High Constraints) – fresh produce, oilseeds, high-end processing raw materials. Even when grown in Africa or South America, pesticide use must comply with EU standards. “Not produced in Europe, but must use Europe-approved pesticides.”
Category Two: Global Trade Grains (Medium Constraints) – wheat, corn, soybeans. With diverse destinations, residue standards trend toward the “lowest common denominator principle,” where European rules become ceiling rather than sole standard.
Category Three: Locally Consumed Agriculture (Low Constraints) – domestic demand crops in Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America. Here lies the true market space capable of absorbing some mature chemical pesticides exiting Europe.
For Chinese Agrochemical Companies: This Isn’t “Bad News” – It’s a Differentiation Signal
From Chinese enterprises’ perspective, Europe’s crisis releases at least three practical signals:
① Pesticide demand won’t disappear – but “profit models are shifting”
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Volume: increasingly outside Europe
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Rules: still originating from Europe
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Profit structure: clearly stratified
② Europe’s retreat amplifies emerging market opportunities
In South America, Africa, and Asia: higher sensitivity to cost and stable supply; strong acceptance of mature chemical pesticides remains.
Chinese enterprises’ manufacturing and supply chain advantages offer genuine competitiveness in these markets.
③ The real risk isn’t “inability to sell” – but “being caught by regulations”
Even without selling to Europe, one question must be asked: do your customers supply Europe?
If yes: EU MRL limits, active substance lists, and EFSA conclusions will impact you indirectly through trade chains.
06 Conclusion: Europe Isn’t “Abandoning Pesticides” – It’s Reshaping Pesticide Roles
Europe’s farmland “weapons crisis” doesn’t signify the end of pesticides – but a transformation of their role.
Pesticides remain; demand remains; but usage locations, product structures, and compliance logic are undergoing profound change.
For Chinese agrochemical enterprises, this resembles a warning signal illuminated in advance:
Future competition isn’t simply about who possesses molecules – but who understands trends and navigates differentiation pathways.
