Propanil resurges in the Chinese market with significant international growth potential

Propanil, a traditional herbicide, has recently regained traction in the Chinese market, exemplifying a trend seen over the past two years.

Originally introduced to China in the 1960s, propanil was gradually overshadowed by other active ingredients due to cost considerations. However, recent shifts in farming practices and the rapid emergence of weed resistance have revitalized interest in this traditional product, enabling its strong resurgence in managing weeds in rice fields.

Highly effective and safe herbicide with unique efficacy against barnyard grass

Propanil is an old selective contact herbicide belonging to the amide class. It is primarily employed in transplanted or direct-seeded rice fields to combat a variety of grass and dicotyledonous weeds, such as heartleaf false pickerelweed, cress, crabgrass, and green bristlegrass.

The renewed popularity of propanil can be attributed to several factors: its high safety profile, exceptional effectiveness against barnyard grass, low potential for resistance development, and cost-effectiveness. The results of propanil application are comparable to those of paraquat. Propanil works mainly at the contact site, exhibiting minimal translocation within the plant. Its mechanism of action disrupts photosynthesis, inhibits respiration, and interferes with nucleic acid and protein synthesis, consequently affecting the physiological functions of sensitive plants, accelerating dehydration, causing leaf desiccation, and ultimately leading to plant death.

Because propanil is rapidly hydrolyzed into non-toxic substances by hydrolases within rice plants, and given that rice’s degradation capacity is twenty times greater than that of barnyard grass, it is considered highly safe for rice.

New strategy for managing resistant weeds in rice fields in China

In recent years, the widespread adoption of direct-seeded rice and accelerated land transfers in China have exacerbated the issue of resistant weeds, such as barnyard grass, crabgrass, and moleplant seed. Despite a variety of herbicide products available on the market, few meet the criteria of high safety, low resistance potential, and specific efficacy against barnyard grass. The performance of conventional rice herbicides has often been subpar, with an increased likelihood of weed resurgence, particularly during the hot summer months when early weed control failures are common.

In response to this challenge, propanil, due to its rapid action and low potential for weed resistance development, has been utilized as a supplementary approach in rice field weed management, serving as a crucial last line of defense. After application, propanil quickly dehydrates weeds, demonstrating significant efficacy. During the rice growth period, it effectively reduces the initial weed population and shows rapid results in later stages, capitalizing on its strengths. In 2023, Chinese companies innovated by employing propanil for ″initial application,″ targeting the early emergence of resistant weeds such as barnyard grass and crabgrass, thus minimizing the risk of subsequent supplementary applications.

Significant increase in domestic registration of propanil combinations

Currently, there are 74 registered propanil products in China, including ten technical materials (TCs), 24 single-formulation products, and 40 combined-formulation products. Over the past two years, no new registrations for propanil TC have occurred. Currently, a total of 10 companies hold TC licenses, including Shenyang Harvest Agrochemical Co., Ltd., Shandong Weifang Rainbow Chemical Co., Ltd., Jinzhou Yijia Technology Co., Ltd., Trustchem Co., Ltd, Inner Mongolia Zhonggao Chemical Co., Ltd, Hegang TH-UNIS Insight Pesticide Chemistry Co., Ltd, Jingma Chemicals Co., Ltd., Hegang Xuxiang Heyou Chemical Co., Ltd., Ningxia Rainbow Chemical Co., Ltd., and Ningxia Lantian Agricultural Development Co., Ltd.

In 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs registered 25 propanil formulation products, predominantly in combination with ingredients such as cyhalofop-butyl, clomazone, anilofos, and butachlor.

As weeds tend to proliferate in the later stages of rice cultivation, the use of propanil alone may likely lead to a rebound of grassy weeds, prompting the development of diverse propanil application strategies. Due to cost considerations, farmers usually opt for propanil in conjunction with cyhalofop-butyl and other combined formulations for quick weed control. Current registration data indicate that the most prevalent combined formulation is propanil mixed with cyhalofop-butyl, followed by combinations with metamifop, anilofos, clomazone, and butachlor.

Zhongshan Chemical has a series of propanil products domestically, including propanil 45% EC + metamifop 30% · cyhalofop-butyl OD + clomazone 480 g/L EC; and 40% propanil · cyhalofop-butyl EC, which have shown excellent weed control effects in Anhui, Jiangsu, and Hubei provinces. Additionally, KingAgroot’s newly patented herbicide, flusulfinam, has also been registered in combination with propanil as a propanil 250 g/L · flusulfinam ME.

Beyond the registered combined products, many domestic pesticide companies have indicated potential future combinations in their patent applications for propanil formulations. As shown in the table below, research is underway for combinations with ingredients such as florpyrauxifen-benzyl, pyraquinate, tembotrione, fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, benzobicyclon, topramezone, mesotrione, and propyrisulfuron, suggesting a richer array of application schemes for propanil in the future.

Examples of Patent Applications for Propanil Combinations

Capacity development keeping pace with demand

As application scenarios evolve and demand continues to rise, domestic companies have actively invested in and expanded their production capacities for propanil TC to meet both domestic and international market needs. Key developments in China’s propanil TC production capacity over the past two years are illustrated below:

In January 2023, the environmental impact assessment for the technical transformation project of Ningxia Rainbow Chemical Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Shandong Weifang Rainbow Chemical Co., Ltd., which aims to produce 3,000 tons of propanil annually, was publicly announced on relevant websites. In December of the same year, Shandong Weifang Rainbow Chemical Co., Ltd. announced an expansion project for its existing propanil TC synthesis facility to increase the production capacity from 1,000 tons per year to 3,000 tons per year.

In December 2023, Zhongshan Chemical’s propanil TC production facility at Inner Mongolia Zhonggao Chemical Co., Ltd officially began operations, boasting a designed production capacity of 7,000 tons per year. This facility is expected to provide substantial supply support for the domestic propanil formulation market and facilitate exports to countries such as Brazil and those in Africa. The company is currently registering various formulations derived from its proprietary technical materials while also starting registrations in key rice-growing countries around the globe.

In July 2024, Ningxia Lantian Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. received approval for its construction project, which aims to produce 8,833 tons of fine chemical products annually and includes a pilot workshop. According to the project registration details, the construction will include a production line capable of producing 2,000 tons of propanil per year.

A fluctuating growth in exports of propanil TC by China, with anticipated domestic sales surpassing exports

India is the world’s largest exporter of propanil, yet an analysis of customs data reveals that India’s propanil TC exports have been declining annually since 2021, with a clear trend. In contrast, China, another key player in the global agrochemical market, has experienced fluctuating growth in propanil TC exports over the past two years. This trend signals a resurgence in the popularity of propanil in recent years. It suggests that China’s efforts to promote and position itself in the global propanil market are likely to strengthen.

China’s propanil TC export trends reveal a significant increase in export volume since 2023; however, its share in the global total remains relatively small, indicating substantial room for growth in international markets. Domestically, with approximately 450 million mu devoted to rice cultivation—especially in major rice-growing regions like the Yangtze River Basin and Northeast China—the actual usage of propanil is projected to reach 4,600 tons. This highlights a considerable market potential for propanil products.

Moreover, market surveys suggest that domestic sales of propanil products have already surpassed the export volume. Sales have expanded from Northeast China to East China and are gradually spreading nationwide. This trend indicates that future growth in the domestic market is likely to maintain a strong momentum.

It is also essential to note that, with the national push for agricultural green transformation and the robust growth trend in pesticide industry investment, propanil, and other pesticide products are expected to encounter both more opportunities and challenges in the market. Domestic companies need to continuously innovate, optimize product synthesis processes, enhance environmental performance, and develop more integrated solutions to adapt to the evolving demands of both domestic and international markets.