BEIJING, April 1 (Xinhua) -- China has decided to apply stricter rules on pesticide production and imports to improve food safety and environment protection in the world's most populous country.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang signed a State Council decree on Saturday to promulgate a revised regulation on pesticide management, as the authority views the move as vitally important to improving food safety and the environment.

Pesticide producers and importers should register and gain approval certificates from the agricultural authority if they meet certain criteria, according to the regulation.

Pesticide products should pass quality checks before they are released for sale, it added. The new regulation also asked local authorities to enhance technical training for farmers to better utilize pesticides.

The new regulation will take effect June 1, 2017.