On 17 April 2018, the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (MOFCOM) made its No.38 announcement this year, regarding the preliminary decision on the anti-dumping investigation into the sorghum imported from the US. “The sorghum produced and imported from the US is dumped into China, causing material injuries to the domestic sorghum business. Hence, we decide to take provisional anti-dumping measures against the sorghum produced and imported from the US,” said the MOFCOM.

On 18 April 2018, Anhui Huaxing Chemical Co., Ltd. (Huaxing Chemical)’s Green Intelligent Pesticide Formulation Processing Center specifically for glyphosate AS (100,000 t/a) and glyphosate GR (10,000 t/a) was put into formal operation. In addition, the company announced the official start-up of its 24,000 t/a specialty carboxylate ester project.

On March 16, 2018, Yancheng South Chemical Co., Ltd. and Yancheng Taihe Chemical Co., Ltd. respectively obtained product registration of imazamox TC, making the current number of registered companies reach 13.

Wheat head blight has always been the biggest problem that influence wheat production in China. In 2017, the occurrence of head blight in Henan province and Anhui province hit an accumulative area of 3.67 million hectare, which caused a great loss of production. After infected with head blight, the wheat quality is reduced and the rate of flour production could be reduced as well. Thus the wheat can neither be eaten nor processed, but has to be treated separately.

From 9-10 April 2018, the National Agri-Tech Extension Service Center (NATESC) held a Business Conference on Occurrence Trend of Wheat Pests & Diseases at Mid and Late Stage in China in Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province. It is expected that in 2018, wheat pests & diseases will strike in a way severer than ordinary years at the mid and late stage. In total, 59.3 million ha area will be stricken nationwide, including 30.7 million ha by wheat diseases and 28.7 million ha by wheat pests.

In April 2018, Hailir Pesticides and Chemicals Group (Hailir) announced its signing of an agreement to make investment. Reportedly, Hailir signed an Investment Letter of Intent with the Management Committee of Qingdao Xinhe Ecological & Chemical Sci-Tech Industrial Base, to invest USD318.7 million in Pingdu Xinhe Industrial Park to construct production projects involving environmentally friendly pesticide formulations.

The Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (MOFCOM) decided to make an anti-dumping investigation into the phenol produced in and imported from the US, the EU, South Korea, Japan and Thailand from 26 March 2018.

At the end of March 2018, Hefei Fengle Seed Co., Ltd. (Fengle Seed) announced that its subsidiary Anhui Fengle Agrochemical Co., Ltd. (Fengle Agrochemical) intended to invest USD3.0 million to construct a 450 t/a herbicide production facility.

The Eighth Asia International Agricultural Exhibition (Kazakhstan) was partially held by the China Crop Protection Industry Association (CCPIA) in the capital of Kazakhstan during 14-16 March, 2018, which was attended by 196 companies from 21 countries and regions. Attending countries included Kazakhstan, China, Russia, Canada, Turkey, Ukraine and the US. The exhibition specially set up the China Pesticide District, which displayed products from 16 Chinese pesticide enterprises under the lead of the CCPIA.

Zhejiang Wynca Chemical Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as " Zhejiang Wynca ") recently issued a clarification announcement on untrue rumors.