2,4-D Survey in China

In China, the history of production and application of 2,4-D has exceeded 30 years, and the product has a stable market demand. Farmers prefer to use 2,4-D as a herbicide on wheat, corn and rice, and as a plant growth regulator on eggplant, tomato, pumpkin, watermelon and etc.

Increasing resistance of weeds to glyphosate in recent years and the withdrawal of paraquat aqueous solution (AS) from Chinese market starting on 1 July, 2016 brought 2,4-D products a new opportunity in China.

Using glyphosate alone would cause weeds' resistance to glyphosate, but if glyphosate is used with other herbicides, such as 2,4-D, dicamba, glyphosate's performance would be boosted effectively. The combinational use of herbicides becomes more and more acceptable to farmers in China.

According to the No. 1745 Announcement released by the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China on 24 April, 2012, prohibition of the use and sales of paraquat AS in China had come into effect from 1 July, 2016. 2,4-D products and other herbicides would witness a broader space for development after the withdrawal of paraquat AS in China.

In recent years, 2,4-D industry in China also confronted with barriers, including sluggish demand from overseas market, pressure from illegal producers, difficulty in pollutant treatment, etc.

In 2019, the capacity and output of 2,4-D (converted to technical 96%) were 250,700 t/a and 72,740 tonnes respectively.

From 2013 to 2016, ex-works prices of 2,4-D technical and formulations declined overall because low quotations from many unlicensed small 2,4-D producers were rampant. Then the price rebounded in 2018, with an annual average reaching USD3,190.71/t. High environmental protection pressures had led to tight supply of 2,4-D since some 2,4-D producers suspended production, which explains the price increase.
In 2019, with production resumption and back-to-normal operation, the price significantly dropped in China. It is predicted that price will continue to decrease in the near future.

Yet still, pollutant treatment is a major problem for 2,4-D technical manufacturers. A great deal of wastewater is generated during the production of 2,4-D technical. With stricter requirements on environmental protection, pollution problems would restrict the development of 2,4-D industry to some extent. For illegal 2,4-D producers, they gain an edge on price as they don't invest in the pollutant treatment devices, which severely disturbs the 2,4-D industry. With stricter implementation more frequent inspections, such disturbances will be relieved.

In this report, the publisher will do 2,4-D Survey in China 2019 from the following aspects:

• Production of 2,4-D
• Price & exports
• Consumption
• Forecast on 2,4-D industry in China