The Dangers of Low-Quality Pesticides
Pesticides are substances or mixtures of substances, including microbial preparations, that serve the purpose of preventing, deterring, repelling, attracting, eliminating, or controlling harmful organisms affecting plants. They also function to regulate plant or insect growth, preserve plant products, and enhance safety and efficacy in pesticide application (pursuant to Law No. 41/2013/QH13 – Law on Plant Protection and Quarantine).
The use of pesticides in agriculture plays a crucial role in pest and disease control, thereby protecting crops and ensuring agricultural productivity. However, due to their high toxicity, pesticides can negatively impact crops, the environment, and public health. These adverse effects become particularly serious when pesticide quality is substandard or when producers misuse pesticides—whether in terms of type, timing, dosage, method of application, or frequency. In such cases, pesticide residues may remain on agricultural products at levels exceeding permissible limits, posing significant health risks to consumers and damaging the reputation of producers.

Given these risks, the testing of pesticide quality and pesticide residues on agricultural produce has become an essential requirement in the management of pesticide quality and agricultural product safety before such goods are allowed to circulate in the market.
Notably, the results of pesticide quality and residue testing are mandatory prerequisites for pesticide registration and for agricultural products to be approved for domestic circulation and export.
To ensure the quality of pesticides, the State has issued various legal documents and regulations, including the following:
- Law No. 05/2007/QH12 dated November 21, 2007, of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – Law on Product and Goods Quality;
- Law No. 41/2013/QH13 dated November 25, 2013, of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – Law on Plant Protection and Quarantine;
- Decree No. 43/2017/ND-CP dated April 14, 2017, of the Prime Minister – on Labeling of Goods;
- Decree No. 111/2021/ND-CP dated December 9, 2021 – Amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 43/2017/ND-CP on Labeling of Goods;
- Circular No. 21/2015/TT-BNNPTNT dated June 8, 2015, of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment – on the Management of Plant Protection Products;
- Circular No. 16/2021/TT-BNNPTNT dated December 20, 2021, of Ministry of Agriculture and Environment – Promulgating the List of Products and Goods Likely to Cause Unsafety under the Management of Ministry of Agriculture and Environment;
- National Technical Regulation QCVN 01-188:2018/BNNPTNT – on the Quality of Plant Protection Products;
- Vietnamese Standard TCVN 12017:2017 – Plant Protection Products – Sampling Methods;
- Other applicable National Standards (TCVN) and Enterprise Standards (TCCS) for specific product groups, issued annually by the Plant Protection Department;
- Relevant international, regional, or manufacturer-specific technical documents;
- The official List of Approved and Banned Plant Protection Products in Vietnam, issued by Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (current version).
 
Where Should Pesticides Be Tested?
The Quality Assurance and Testing Center 3 (QUATEST 3) is a reputable organization in the field of pesticide inspection. It fully meets the legal requirements set forth by the Vietnamese government for conformity assessment bodies. In particular, it satisfies the competence criteria stipulated in Article 48 of Circular No. 21/2015/TT-BNNPTNT on State Inspection of the Quality of Circulating Plant Protection Products.
 

Advanced Equipment for the Analysis of Organic Toxins, Pesticide Residues, and Trace-Level Antibiotic Residues
1. State inspection of the quality of plant protection products (PPPs) in circulation on the market is conducted in accordance with the Law on Product and Goods Quality and Circular No. 26/2012/TT-BKHCN dated December 12, 2012, issued by the Minister of Science and Technology, which stipulates regulations on the state inspection of the quality of goods in circulation.
2. State inspection of the quality of PPPs in the market must be carried out by organizations that meet the required conditions and are designated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment or the Plant Protection Department.
3. The designation of testing organizations is conducted in accordance with current regulations issued by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development concerning the assessment, designation, and management of testing laboratories in the agriculture and rural development sector.
 
Accordingly, QUATEST 3 (Quality Assurance and Testing Center 3) has been officially designated to conduct testing of plant protection products as specified in the following decisions: Decision No. 732/QĐ-BVTV-KHTH (dated March 29, 2024) – Authorization for State Quality Inspection; Decision No. 201/QĐ-BVTV-KH (dated January 19, 2023) – Designation for Testing; Decision No. 3117/QĐ-BVTV-KH (dated October 11, 2022) – Designation for Testing.
QUATEST 3’s Procedures for Pesticide Quality Inspection Are Clearly Defined:
For imported PPPs, state quality inspection registration must be completed via the National Single Window administrative system of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment  and carried out in accordance with the steps outlined in Procedure HDQN07 – Guidelines for Receiving Dossiers and Issuing Results via the NSW portal.
In the event of a system malfunction, the process may temporarily switch to paper-based submission until the system is restored. Importers will later be required to re-enter the approved documents into the online system using the same reference number and date as the previously issued paper documents. If proceeding via paper dossier, businesses can submit documents directly to the Registration Department of the Testing Division at QUATEST 3 or send their registration via email to: qn@quatest3.com.vn.
Step-by-Step Procedure for Pesticide Quality Inspection at QUATEST 3:
Step 1: Organizations or individuals submit registration dossiers to the Plant Protection Department or to a designated conformity assessment body authorized by the Plant Protection Department (such as QUATEST 3).
Step 2: Receipt and review of the dossier's validity. If the dossier is valid, a confirmation is issued on the same day on the State Inspection Registration Form for the quality of imported PPPs.
If the dossier is incomplete, it will be returned with a request for revision.
Step 3: Sampling and testing will be conducted within 2 working days after the importer presents the import declaration and confirms the time and location for sampling.
If the batch is not intact or differs from the registered dossier, sampling will not proceed and a written report will be issued.
Step 4: The State Inspection Result will be issued within 3 working days from the sampling date, in accordance with Form XXVI of Circular No. 21/2015/TT-BNNPTNT.
If the processing time must be extended, the conformity assessment organization must promptly notify the importer to reach a mutual agreement.
Additional Testing Services by QUATEST 3:
Beyond mandatory state inspections, QUATEST 3 also offers voluntary testing services, including: Certification of conformity; Inspection; Laboratory testing upon customer request.
 
For Pesticide Testing and Certification Services, Please Contact:
Trading Office for Testing, Inspection, Safety Assessment & Certification
Address: Room 102 (1st Floor), 49 Pasteur Street, Sai Gon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
Phone: (028) 3829 4274 – ext: 1101, 1121, 1141
Hotline/Zalo: 0909 870231 / 0908 504806
Email: qn.tn@quatest3.com.vn | n3@quatest3.com.vn | Website: here

QUATEST 3