Food scares prompt govt to ban 10 varieties of toxic pesticide

BEIJING - China is banning 10 types of highly toxic pesticide in response to growing concern about the safety of agricultural products because of the misuse of such chemicals, said the country's top crop production officials.

The withdrawal of registration certificates and production licenses connected to the 10 pesticides - including fenamiphos and fonofos - will take affect on Oct 31 and the sale and use of the chemicals will be outlawed from Oct 31, 2013, according to an announcement from the Ministry of Agriculture this week.

The announcement was based on a plan for the elimination of highly toxic pesticides jointly drafted by the ministry and four other departments. The plan had been submitted to the State Council - China's Cabinet - for approval, said Zhou Puguo, deputy director of the crop production department under the ministry.