As a core global agricultural production base and agrochemical consumer market, Southeast Asia has witnessed profound reforms in its regulatory system in recent years, characterized by increased policy transparency alongside higher compliance thresholds. Jinan Tianyu Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd., having deeply engaged in this regional market for many years, has a firsthand understanding of these regulatory changes. This article focuses on Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia, analyzing the latest developments in agrochemical registration and regulation to provide adaptive suggestions for enterprises expanding into overseas markets.

I. Thailand: A Transition Period of Stringent Regulation and International Alignment

As a benchmark in the Southeast Asian agrochemical market, Thailand is transitioning its regulatory policy from "lenient access" to "full-life-cycle management." Its formal registration process consists of three phases, taking approximately 2.5 years in total, among which field efficacy trials in two locations and crop residue tests for initial registration are mandatory and non-waivable. The registration cleanup initiative launched by the Ministry of Agriculture in August 2023 marks a milestone, requiring overseas suppliers with incomplete data to supplement key data such as subchronic toxicity and genotoxicity data. Products failing to meet standards have been gradually withdrawn from the market. Meanwhile, the launch of the National Single Window (NSW) signifies Thailand's realization of digital management throughout the full life cycle of agrochemical products.

Currently, Thailand's regulation presents two core trends: First, internationalization of data requirements. Residue limit standards are fully aligned with those of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), requiring enterprises to conduct toxicological and environmental impact assessments complying with international standards in advance. Second, dynamic registration validity period. The new policy establishes a five-year re-evaluation mechanism, replacing the previous "permanently valid" registration model. Enterprises must prepare legal documents and complete product data dossiers two years before the expiration of their product registration to meet the assessment requirements upon the five-year expiration. Additionally, Thailand's Department of Agriculture explicitly mandates enterprises to establish product traceability and continuous monitoring systems.

For enterprises planning to enter the Thai market, a "phased breakthrough" strategy is recommended: In the first phase, focus on preparing core data such as GLP acute toxicity reports, production licenses, and export information certificates. In the second phase, simultaneously carry out local partner selection and efficacy evaluation of target products. In the third phase (formal review), reserve 6-12 months to address potential supplementary testing requirements.

II. Cambodia: Standardization Driven by "Overseas-Returned Talents"

Cambodia's agrochemical regulation is undergoing a critical transition from "framework-based management" to "precision governance." A series of institutional replacements and policy adjustments have brought new compliance requirements and market opportunities for international agrochemical enterprises. As practitioners deeply involved in Southeast Asian registration consulting, Jinan Tianyu Agricultural Technology has witnessed and participated in this reform process, whose regulatory upgrading path features distinct characteristics of "international alignment + local adaptation."

At the institutional level, Cambodia has restructured its regulatory system from "single registration" to "full-chain regulation." The 2012 Fertilizer and Pesticide Management Law established the basic framework, enabling the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to formally initiate the supervision of fertilizer and pesticide products. In 2025, the ministry introduced professional "overseas-returned talents" into its internal review and management teams, significantly enhancing implementation professionalism and technical capabilities. Pesticides and fertilizers are now managed separately with precision: Pesticide management integrates core elements of FAO pesticide standards, upgrading the previous simplified model (requiring only basic physical and chemical data) to a comprehensive data package requirement covering toxicological testing, environmental impact assessment, and residue limit verification.

New trends in registration management are embodied in three major transformations: First, professionalization of subject qualifications. Overseas enterprises must submit applications through locally registered entities, and agency enterprises must possess technical service capabilities certified by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Second, mandatory label management. Khmer labeling requirements have increased from 6 items to 12 items, with key information such as pre-harvest intervals and poisoning first-aid measures subject to third-party verification. Third, dynamic validity period. The formal registration certificate is valid for 3 years, and enterprises must submit import and market usage feedback data of the past year annually to obtain approval for the next year's import qualification and quota.

Enterprises should adhere to the principle of "early layout and precise adaptation" in response: In product selection, avoid blindly following categories with numerous registered products and competitors; complete and compliant data dossiers can shorten the approval cycle. Meanwhile, establish a rapid response mechanism for localized labeling to avoid market launch delays caused by language compliance issues. Although the access threshold has increased, the market environment has been purified, allowing compliant enterprises to seize high-quality channels with their compliance advantages. With the advancement of ASEAN pesticide data mutual recognition, Cambodia is expected to become a key hub for regional compliance layout.

III. Myanmar: Prudent Layout During the Policy Window Period

Myanmar's current pesticide registration regulation is based on the Pesticide Law updated in 2016. After experiencing explosive growth from 2015 to 2016, the Myanmar agrochemical market has gradually matured and entered a rational development stage in 2024-2025, with a temporary shortage of supplies observed at one point. Despite regulatory uncertainties caused by political factors, its regulatory framework has formed a pattern of "central guidance + local implementation" – the Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for registration approval, while local institutions undertake on-field use supervision. Notably, the full launch of the Myanmar Agricultural Input Registration System (MAIRS) promoted by the Myanmar Pesticide Review Committee has established a fair and impartial operating environment for review work, enhancing process standardization and transparency.

The Myanmar market presents both opportunities and risks: Opportunities lie in relatively low policy thresholds and fewer competitors under the current political and economic environment, resulting in moderate direct competitive pressure for enterprises. Risks are concentrated in three aspects: frequent temporary policy adjustments, requiring close tracking of government pesticide management policy trends to respond to unexpected requirements promptly; weak intellectual property protection, suggesting enterprises protect core product advantages through trade secrets rather than patents; prominent logistics and payment risks – in logistics, enterprises should avoid relying on a single transportation method such as land or sea transport; in financial transactions with overseas customers, actively consider the feasibility of RMB settlement to mitigate potential risks through diversified arrangements.

Jinan Tianyu Agricultural Technology has adopted a "point-to-area" strategy in Myanmar: focusing on the application of differentiated products in key pest and disease control, taking solving practical on-field needs as the entry point, and expanding product line layout only after policies become clear.

IV. Regional Response Strategies for Agrochemical Enterprises

Facing the differentiated regulatory environments of the three countries, enterprises need to establish a "common + personalized" compliance system. At the common level, enterprises should build a unified international standard database to consolidate the foundation for compliance. At the personalized level, in response to Thailand's long registration cycle, enterprises need to plan product pipelines 2-3 years in advance; for Cambodia's localization requirements, cultivate stable local partners; and for Myanmar's policy uncertainties, maintain a flexible investment scale.

From the industry perspective, Southeast Asian agrochemical regulation presents two major integration trends: First, accelerated regional data mutual recognition. ASEAN countries are promoting cross-border recognition of field trial data, which will significantly reduce enterprises' repeated testing costs. Second, upgraded digital regulation. Countries such as Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Vietnam are upgrading their online management systems, with QR code traceability on product labels becoming a norm.

For enterprises, it is essential to convert compliance capabilities into market competitiveness. By accurately grasping the regulatory dynamics of various countries, laying out regional compliance systems in advance, and following the trends of data mutual recognition and digitalization, enterprises can achieve win-win development in the process of agricultural modernization in Southeast Asia.