The Supreme People’s Court (SPC) has released four typical cases relating to the crackdown on fake or substandard agricultural supplies. The move is intended to guide courts nationwide in addressing the production and trading of counterfeit or substandard products, including pesticides, seeds and fertilizers, to ensure food security and effectively safeguard the interests of farmers.

The cases were released to coincide with the start of spring farming, a period when quality and safety of agricultural supplies are crucial for food security, stable production and reliable supply of important farm produces. They are also essential for increasing agricultural efficiency, boosting farmers' income, and maintaining overall stability in rural areas.

The released cases cover three major categories of agricultural supplies of seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers, and include typical criminal methods such as sales via online e-commerce platforms and fraudulent practices by “misleading agricultural supply groups”

Courts at all levels have placed a high priority on handling such cases, and the SPC has issued relevant judicial interpretations and regulations to provide a strong legal foundation for lawfully punishing offenses in this area.

While handling the typical cases, the courts sentenced defendants in three cases to more than five years in prison to highlight a firm stance on rigorous punishment for the offense. The courts also imposed economic sanctions on the guilty parties and supported plaintiffs in civil litigation for compensation.

The two cases involving sales of counterfeit or substandard seeds led to widespread crop failures and significant losses for farmers. In these cases, the courts lawfully convicted and punished the offenders, imposing strict penalties on them to deter criminals and safeguard national food security.

A criminal policy of combining severity with leniency was adopted in the process of handling cases involving a large group of people. The courts handling relevant cases imposed heavy penalties on the main offenders while appropriately applying lenient penalties to accomplices based on their roles and circumstances to ensure a balanced and just punishment.

Courts nationwide also actively worked with relevant departments to crack down on offenses involving agricultural supplies, and carried out publicity events to raise awareness of producers and consumers of such products about legal provisions in this area.

Courts in China will intensify the crackdown on the production and sale of counterfeit or substandard agricultural supplies to contribute to agricultural harvests, the increase of farmers' incomes and rural vitalization.