On December 16, 2019, the “D22 China Agrochemical Industry Leaders Annual Summit” was held in Shenzhen, China. This summit was themed “Reconstructing: A New Order.” Dozens of experts, entrepreneurs, platform leaders, 300 crop champions, and over 500 senior executives from the agrochemical industry attended the event, including Chen Shengdou, President of the China Association for Agricultural Technology Extension; Liu Yongquan, President of the China Pesticide Development and Application Association; Hua Rongjun, Secretary-General of the same association; Zhang Huzhu, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the China Association for Agricultural Technology Extension; Lang Xianping, a renowned global economist; Feng Weidong, Editor-in-Chief of the media outlet “Agricultural Inputs & Market”; and George Albert, a well-known expert in Germany’s agricultural sector. Together, they explored the future direction of the industry and jointly addressed the challenges posed by the emerging new order in the agrochemical sector.

The following are the remarks made by various experts at this summit:

(World-renowned economist Lang Xianping)

World-renowned economist Lang Xianping stated that as China’s per capita income rises, the country’s imports of agricultural products will continue to increase in the future, and public demand for meat will also rise. Regarding the impact of the trade war, we can draw two key conclusions: First, we should take the trade war as an opportunity to expand into the global food market, because in the future, China will need to import large quantities of agricultural products from around the world. The key challenge lies in how to enhance effective supply and lower prices through strategic procurement. Second, we must elevate the level of the agricultural value chain by learning from developed countries and making concerted efforts in areas such as seeds, pesticides, fertilizers, and processing and sales.

President of the China Agricultural Technology Extension Association Chen Dousheng)

Chen Dousheng, President of the China Association for Agricultural Technology Extension, stated that with the central government’s advancement of the “Three Rights Reform,” the landscape of emerging agricultural sectors is undergoing significant changes. To date, 480 million mu of land have been transferred, accounting for 35% of the nation’s contracted farmland. The number of cooperatives and farms nationwide has surpassed 3 million, and the number of new-type professional farmers has exceeded 15 million. In response to these developments, the central government has issued a series of documents aimed at supporting productive services for farming. However, China’s agriculture also faces enormous challenges, particularly the ongoing U.S.-China trade war. Chen Dousheng believes that agriculture is both a prerequisite and a guarantee for China’s development. We must maintain a sense of vigilance and be fully prepared to tackle tough challenges. To this end, we should make the following preparations: First, strengthen the functional role of production zones; second, leverage our comparative advantages to take the lead; third, enhance high-standard production practices; fourth, intensify supervision over fertilizers and pesticides; and fifth, bolster the promotion and service of agricultural machinery to ensure the sustainable development of agriculture.

(Liu Yongquan, President of the China Pesticide Development and Application Association)

     Liu Yongquan, President of the China Pesticide Development and Application Association, stated that today, technology has become the most important driving force behind China’s agricultural and rural economic growth. It has made outstanding contributions to ensuring national food security and the effective supply of major agricultural products, and has facilitated three historic transformations—from high-input, resource-intensive, and consumption-driven practices toward resource conservation, environmental friendliness, and green development. Focusing on the “one control, two reductions, and three basics,” China has vigorously promoted major initiatives such as controlling total agricultural water use, reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and achieving basic resource utilization of livestock manure, crop straw, and plastic film. Positive progress has been made in these efforts. To prevent and mitigate disasters, registered and temporary-use measures ensure that only legal, reasonable, and safe pesticides are available. Every link in the entire industry chain bears responsibility for minimizing and reducing the negative impacts of pesticide use to the lowest possible level.

(Feng Weidong, Editor-in-Chief of “Agricultural Inputs & Market” Media)

Feng Weidong, Editor-in-Chief of “Agricultural Inputs & Market” media, stated that through a journey from case studies to theory and then to practice, he has offered a fresh interpretation of the new order and provided insights into second-curve innovation, pinpointing the breakthrough points for our industry. Feng Weidong believes that the process of reshaping the new order will be a long and highly uncertain period of adaptation. Each of us as businesses is striving to find the most suitable way to coexist within this new landscape—though we haven’t yet found it. I hope everyone can follow the broader trends, identify their own breakthrough points on the “second curve,” and use their small, unique variables to influence the industry and redefine their position within it.

(Dr. George Abbott, a renowned expert in the German agricultural sector)

Dr. George Abbott, a renowned expert in Germany’s agricultural sector, stated that as China continues to experience population growth and rising demand for agricultural products, the country has been increasing its use of pesticides and fertilizers in an effort to boost crop yields. This has led to problems such as soil acidification, compaction, and imbalances in nutrient ratios. As a result, China’s agriculture urgently needs to undergo a transformation and upgrade toward green farming practices. Bio-stimulants—emerging agricultural inputs that protect plant cells from damage, are environmentally friendly, and can enhance crop yields—are gaining traction. Driven by multiple factors—including agricultural supply-side reform, management of non-point source pollution, and ensuring the safety and quality of agricultural products—China’s bio-stimulant industry is now poised for significant development opportunities. The future is already here, and the industry boasts broad prospects for continued growth.

(Visiting the exhibition crops)

(Crop King Brand Image Showcase)

Finally

“The greatest danger in times of upheaval is not the upheaval itself, but rather continuing to use old ways of thinking to solve new problems.”

— Peter Drucker, the father of modern management

Meituan President Wang Xing said, “2019 was the worst year of the past decade, but it will be the best year of the next decade.”

At this stage, China’s economy is undergoing a critical phase of upgrading and transformation. For the agricultural inputs industry to embark on a path of sustainable development, enterprises must enhance their independent innovation capabilities, refine their systems for independent innovation, and continuously integrate information technology with agriculture—moving steadily toward resource conservation, environmental friendliness, green practices, and innovative, high-quality development. The upcoming year 2020 will undoubtedly bring new, tremendous opportunities as well as significant challenges. Here, I hope that all our colleagues in the agricultural inputs sector will not be daunted by difficulties, but rather forge ahead with determination and resilience, writing a brand-new chapter for our industry! Let us work together to drive technological advancement in China’s fertilizer industry, enhance its competitiveness, and wish the Calcium-Magnesium Fertilizer Branch an ever-brighter future!