Pesticide residues have become a central focus of agricultural policies and control mechanisms worldwide in recent years. Products rejected at European Union borders, increased import inspections, and residue incidents reflected in the public domain clearly demonstrate that pesticide use must be monitored not only at the field level but throughout the entire farm-to-fork chain. At this point, pesticide residue testing has evolved beyond a mere analytical tool and has become a critical indicator of transparency and trust in agricultural production.
Until now, pesticide use in Türkiye has largely been controlled through producer declarations, physical prescriptions, and analyses conducted at the final stage. However, this structure has primarily offered a reactive, result-oriented control model rather than a preventive one. For this very reason, the B-Prescription Tracking System, developed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, stands out as a transformative step aimed at fundamentally reshaping how pesticide use is managed in agriculture.
With the B-Prescription system, pesticides are no longer treated merely as products sold on the market; they become data points that are prescribed, recorded during application, monitored at harvest, and retrospectively analyzed. This transformation marks the beginning of a new era for producers, regulatory authorities, and laboratories providing pesticide residue testing services.
According to statements by Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, the system will:
- Be launched as a pilot program on January 1, 2026, in Mersin, Samsun, Ankara, and Kırklareli;
- Become mandatory nationwide in all 81 provinces as of July 1, 2026.
Under the new system, farmers will be able to purchase pesticide active substances only with an electronic prescription (B-Prescription). These prescriptions will be issued digitally by agricultural engineers authorized by the Ministry.
At the same time, information on sold and applied pesticides will be recorded electronically in the Ministry’s system on an individual producer and parcel basis, ensuring full traceability in both sales and application stages.
How Does the System Work?
Sales and Prescription Process
- Pesticide sales will be conducted based on the producer’s crop and parcel information.
- Prescriptions will be issued electronically only by Ministry-authorized agricultural engineers.
- The system will digitally record all details of the sold product, including dosage, target area, user, and parcel information.
Application and Recording Process
- Pesticide applications in fields and greenhouses may only be carried out by authorized producers, professional applicators, and assistant applicators.
- The applicator must record in the system which pesticide was used, on which parcel, and at what dosage.
Harvest and Sales Tracking
- Harvest information will also be entered into the system by the producer.
- At the sales stage, the buyer will receive a system-generated record showing parcel-based pesticide application and harvest information, ensuring full farm-to-fork traceability.
Global Examples: Pesticide Monitoring and Prescription Systems
Türkiye’s move toward digital pesticide monitoring through the B-Prescription system is not unprecedented. Similar approaches have been implemented in various countries worldwide.
• California, USA — Pesticide Use Reporting (PUR)
In the state of California, pesticide use has been legally monitored through systematic Pesticide Use Reporting (PUR) since the 1990s. These reports do not merely record pesticide usage; they also support authorities in planning food safety monitoring, environmental protection, and occupational health programs.
• Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in the European Union
In many EU countries, pesticide application has been standardized and made traceable under Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) frameworks. These practices aim to reduce pesticide residue risks through maximum residue limits (MRLs) and mandatory record-keeping requirements.
Globally, precision agriculture and digital farming applications utilize technologies such as IoT sensors and remote sensing to optimize pesticide use. These tools enable producers to plan pesticide applications based on data and to report actual usage to research and regulatory institutions.
When examining global examples, it becomes evident that digital pesticide monitoring systems do not deliver instant, dramatic results in the short term. However, they provide measurable improvements in the medium and long term. In particular, California’s PUR system has built a robust data infrastructure that has contributed to reducing excessive and unnecessary pesticide use over time. Academic assessments report 10–30% reductions in the use of certain active substances following the implementation of such reporting systems.
In the European Union, mandatory record-keeping and traceability systems enable rapid product recalls and clear accountability when pesticide residue limits are exceeded. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of these systems is closely linked to producer compliance, inspection frequency, and the strength of digital infrastructure. While such practices are becoming widespread in developed countries, pesticide use in many parts of the world is still conducted with limited or incomplete data.
Overall, digital pesticide tracking systems have not yet been adopted across all global agricultural areas. However, in countries facing high food safety and export pressure, they are increasingly becoming an inevitable standard. This indicates that the B-Prescription Tracking System is not merely a domestic regulatory tool for Türkiye, but also a strategic transformation step affecting international trade, pesticide residue testing outcomes, and the country’s agricultural image.
Expected Benefits and Challenges of Prescription-Based Pesticide Sales
Advantages
✅ Traceability and Transparency Electronic prescriptions and digital records enable retrospective tracking of pesticide use, allowing for more accurate assessment of pesticide residue risks.
✅ Prevention of Overuse Enhanced control over sales and applications can reduce excessive pesticide use, leading to lower residue levels.
✅ Improved Food Safety Farm-to-fork traceability strengthens the link between pesticide residue measurements and laboratory test results, allowing pesticide residue testing data to be evaluated more effectively.
Challenges / Limitations
⚠️ Implementation Costs and Training Needs Small-scale producers may require time and training to adapt to digital systems.
⚠️ Data Accuracy and Compliance Ensuring timely and accurate data entry requires effective inspection mechanisms; manual errors remain a risk.
⚠️ Inequality in Technology Access Infrastructure limitations in rural areas, particularly lack of internet access, may hinder system adoption.
Digital Solutions to the Pesticide Challenge
Pesticides are chemicals used to control harmful organisms in agricultural production and play an important role in maintaining yield and product quality. However, excessive or improper use increases pesticide residue risks, posing threats to both human health and the environment.
Traditionally, pesticide use was monitored through manual prescriptions and records, making effective control and oversight difficult. Digital tracking systems such as the B-Prescription enhance pesticide management through greater transparency, traceability, and data-driven decision-making.
For platforms providing pesticide residue testing services, this digital transformation enables more comprehensive, location-based analysis of residue data. These datasets can generate more reliable pesticide residue profiles for both producers and consumers.
References
- Publications of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye
- Relevant reports by Anadolu Agency
- Article published by Gıda Bülteni
- PAN-Germany.org reports on good agricultural practices and pesticide monitoring(PUR)
