Chinese agchem firm enters UK pesticide market

UK and Irish growers looking to trim their pesticide spend are set to benefit from the arrival of a new agchem company, as China’s biggest exporter of pesticides enters the UK market

Offering high-quality generics, Rainbow Agrosciences currently has 17 products registered in the UK, with another 12 in the pipeline for approval in 2026.

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Approved products include key staples found in farm chemical stores, including herbicides (metazachlor and ethofumesate), fungicides (prothioconazole and folpet) and plant growth regulators (trinexapac-ethyl and chlormaquat).

The product range also covers a wide range of crops including cereals, potatoes and sugar beet.

Founded in 2000, Rainbow Agrosciences has become one of the world’s biggest crop protection companies and most growers will have already used products made in its dedicated manufacturing plants in China, as it contract-manufactures for key global agchem brands.

The company says its UK launch will follow its proven pattern: country specific actives and formulations supported by robust manufacturing control and local technical support – a policy that has seen its presence grow to more than 110 countries.

© Rainbow Agrisciences

While generics are valuable for farmers and agronomists looking to manage costs, quality has sometimes been an issue. 

“Rainbow’s ambition for the UK is to encourage growers to re-evaluate their attitudes towards post-patent crop protection,” says Simon McMunn of AgTIgrow, Rainbow’s UK partner.

“In practice, that means prioritising quality and reliability, in turn delivering product confidence.”

He believes consistent delivery of all three elements will raise expectations of what post-patent chemistry can deliver, both in the field and for the bottom line.

Products will be available from merchants this spring.