Typical Cases of Fake and Inferior Agricultural Materials: The Ministry of Agriculture Announces 13 Cases

    The reporter learned from the Ministry of Agriculture that in 2014, agricultural departments across the country earnestly fulfilled their leading responsibility for cracking down on fake agricultural materials, and together with public security and other departments severely cracked down on illegal acts of producing and selling fake and inferior agricultural materials, effectively safeguarding farmers' lawful rights and interests and effectively guaranteeing that year's grain harvest and the quality and safety of agricultural products. According to statistics, agricultural departments across the country filed and investigated a total of 6,510 cases of fake and inferior agricultural materials for the year, transferred 86 cases to judicial authorities, destroyed 68 counterfeit production dens, and recovered 472 million yuan in direct economic losses for farmers. Among them, agricultural departments in Hebei, Jilin, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hubei, Hunan, Guangxi, Chongqing and other places strictly followed the "five don't let go" principle, firmly grasped leads, dug deep to the source, and in accordance with the law investigated and handled a number of major and important cases of producing and selling fake and inferior agricultural materials.

In order to deter lawbreakers, the Ministry of Agriculture today publicly announced 13 typical cases of fake and inferior agricultural materials, including 5 pesticide cases, 3 seed cases, 4 veterinary drug and feed cases, and 1 fertilizer case.

1. The case of Shen Qian and others in Nanning, Guangxi producing and selling fake and inferior pesticides. In June 2014, the agricultural department of Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, based on a tip-off, investigated and handled in accordance with the law a den producing and selling fake and inferior pesticides located in Sanjin Village, Shajing. Upon investigation, the person in charge of the den was named Shen Qian; a large number of pesticide products such as omethoate and phorate, as well as labels, coding machines and other items, were seized at the scene; testing of the 10 sealed pesticide types found that their active ingredient content was all below the labeled value, and 7 of them had other pesticide ingredients added, making them fake and inferior pesticides; sales in 2013 reached more than 2.78 million yuan (there were no sales receipts in 2014, so the sales amount could not be estimated). At present, the case has been transferred to public security authorities for investigation, and the suspect Shen Qian has been approved for arrest.

2. The case of Hunan Nanxian Liangbang Agricultural Materials Sales Center dealing in fake and inferior pesticides. In August 2014, the agricultural department of Yuanjiang, Hunan, investigated and handled in accordance with the law the case of Nanxian Liangbang Agricultural Materials Sales Center (hereinafter referred to as Liangbang Agricultural Materials) dealing in fake and inferior pesticides. Upon investigation, the developer of the bagged and bottled 1.8% abamectin emulsifiable concentrate sold by Liangbang Agricultural Materials was Zhou Duanwu, and the nominally listed manufacturer was Hunan Tianren Pesticide Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Tianren Company); testing found that both packaged products contained the unregistered pesticide ingredient "chlorpyrifos", and the active ingredient of the bagged product was insufficient, so they were judged to be fake and inferior pesticides, causing varying degrees of yield reduction on 1,965 mu of early rice and affecting 134 damaged farming households. At present, Liangbang Agricultural Materials' legal representative Zhang Jianliang is wanted online, Tianren Company's legal representative He Shengqian has been criminally detained, and Zhou Duanwu has been approved for arrest in accordance with the law.

3. The case of Anhui Yinuo Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. dealing in fake pesticides. In July 2014, the agricultural department of Xiangyang, Hubei, based on a tip-off, investigated and handled in accordance with the law the case of Anhui Yinuo Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Yinuo Company) dealing in fake pesticides. Upon investigation, the "Jiakuan Hongliangle" (48% atrazine wettable powder) sold by Yinuo Company was a product of Guizhou Tianrun Chemical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Tianrun Company) counterfeiting the product of Zhejiang Zhongshan Chemical Group Co., Ltd.; testing found that the active ingredient content was only 20.9%, causing losses of more than 600,000 yuan to more than 300 farming households in Xiangzhou, Xiangcheng, Fancheng and other places. At present, Yinuo Company's legal representative Liu Jinku and Tianrun Company's legal representative Huang Daisheng have been publicly prosecuted, and the case is under further trial.

4. The case of Zhu Hesong in Xuyi County, Jiangsu producing and selling fake pesticides. In May 2014, the agricultural department of Xuyi County, Jiangsu, based on a report from the public, together with public security authorities, destroyed in accordance with the law a den producing and selling fake pesticides in Shanzuokou Township, Donghai County. Upon investigation, the person in charge of the den was named Zhu Hesong; the herbicide "Hantianfeng 40% emulsifiable concentrate" he produced (labeled as "herbicide 24D, octanoyl bromine") caused total crop failure on more than 700 mu of wheat in three townships of Xuyi County. After the case came to light, Zhu Hesong paid a total of more than 560,000 yuan in compensation to the damaged farming households. At present, the suspect Zhu Hesong has been released on bail pending trial.

5. The case of Yingtan City Shuangshou Pesticide Co., Ltd. in Jiangxi producing and selling fake pesticides. In August 2014, an enforcement inspection by the agricultural department of Hanshou County, Changde, Hunan, found that the "6000IU/microliter Bacillus thuringiensis" distributed by Longping Grain Cooperative Hongyu Plant Protection Professional Cooperative for farmers' use was suspected of being a counterfeit pesticide. Upon investigation, the product was a product of Yingtan City Shuangshou Pesticide Co., Ltd. counterfeiting the product of Hubei Kangxin Pesticide Co., Ltd., involving an amount of more than 100,000 yuan. At present, the case has been transferred to public security authorities for investigation.