Sales of pesticides in the EU down by 6% in 2019

In 2019, the volume of pesticides sold in the EU reached the lowest level since the start of the data series, with just over 333 000 tonnes sold and 6% lower than in 2018. This sharp decline comes after a period of levels hovering between 350 000 and 370 000 tonnes per year (2011-2018).

Source data: aei_fm_salpest09

In terms of the categories of pesticides sold, the highest sales volumes in 2019 were for ‘Fungicides and bactericides’ (40% of the total), followed by ‘Herbicides, haulm destructors and moss killers’ (33%) and ‘Insecticides and acaricides’ (13%).

Four EU Member States (Germany, Spain, France and Italy) – also the main agricultural producers in the EU – recorded the highest volumes sold in total.

Of the 18 EU Member States for which data are available for all the major groups, 12 decreased their total sales of pesticides between 2011 and 2019. The highest decrease was recorded for Denmark (-42%), followed by five countries (Italy, Portugal, Czechia, Sweden and Romania), which saw a decrease of more than 20%.

The highest increase in pesticide sales was recorded in Cyprus (+101%), followed by Latvia (+54%), Austria (+44%) and Poland (+11%).

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Source data: aei_fm_salpest09

For more information:

• Statistics Explained article on Agri-environmental indicator: Consumption of pesticides
• For the purpose of this article, the term ‘pesticides’ refers to plant protection products and covers the following categories: ‘fungicides and bactericides’, ‘herbicides, haulm destructors and moss killers’, ‘insecticides and acaricides’, ‘molluscicides’, ‘plant growth regulators’, and ‘other plant protection products’.

Portugal reduz 43% uso de fitofármacos entre 2011 e 2018