New Regulation on Plant Protection Products in Türkiye: Digital Governance and Traceability Model

Plant protection products are defined in legislation in a broad and highly technical manner. They refer to preparations offered to users in various forms which are used to protect plants and plant products against harmful organisms or to prevent the effects of such organisms, excluding products intended solely for plant nutrition. These products may also affect plant growth, control or prevent undesirable developments in plants or plant parts, or eliminate unwanted plants. They consist of one or more active substances or components that create synergistic effects or increase reliability.

The production, sale, storage, and application of plant protection products have long been subject to strict administrative regulation and supervision. In Türkiye, the primary legal framework governing this field is established by Law No. 5996 on Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food, and Feed, while more detailed rules have been set forth through secondary legislation in the form of regulations.

In the Official Gazette dated 13.12.2025 and numbered 33106, two new regulations were published with the titles “Regulation on the Application and Supervision of Plant Protection Products” and “Regulation on Wholesale and Retail Sales and Storage of Plant Protection Products”.

The common feature of these regulations is the adoption of a regulatory model based on the monitoring of processes related to plant protection products through digital systems. The recording and supervision of applications are carried out via an electronic system known as the B-Prescription system. Through this system, the entire process, from prescription to application and harvest, becomes traceable through a centralized database.

Within this framework, electronic recording, authorization, and supervision mechanisms relating to the sale and storage of plant protection products are also emphasized. The regulations provide that such products may be placed on the market only through wholesalers and retailers authorized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (“Ministry”), and that sales conducted via the internet or other means of remote communication are prohibited. From a legal perspective, this transformation reflects the administration’s intent to eliminate uncontrolled distribution channels and to strengthen oversight over the supply chain.

According to the Ministry’s announcement, the B-Prescription system aims to enhance traceability by ensuring that the production, sale, and application stages of plant protection products are recorded electronically. Through this system, the Ministry seeks to transform supervision from a control mechanism focused solely on outcomes into a process-based model that enables the early identification of risks and the prevention of non-compliant practices.

According to the Ministry’s regulatory explanation, the new regulation incorporating the B-Prescription Tracking System comprehensively reorganizes the authorization, recording, and supervision procedures for the application of plant protection products. Professional applicators, as well as auxiliary personnel working under their responsibility, are included within the system, and applications carried out in food establishments and storage facilities are also made subject to the same monitoring and inspection regime. Furthermore, the phased entry into force of the regulation demonstrates that the administration has taken into account the sector’s capacity to adapt to the new system, thereby reinforcing the principles of legal certainty and foreseeability.

From an overall perspective, these regulations reflect a comprehensive administrative approach aimed at transforming the supervision of plant protection products into a digital, traceable, and preventive model. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of this system will depend not only on the functionality of the technical infrastructure but also on the ability of producers, distributors, and applicators to access and adapt to the system in practice.