ISSN 2709-0078 [Online]

ISSN 2709-006X [Print]

FAOSTAT ANALYTICAL BRIEF 109

Pesticides use and trade

1990–2023
Pesticides use and trade
1990–2023
FAOSTAT Analytical Brief 109

HIGHLIGHTS

→ Total pesticides use in agriculture in 2023 was 3.73 million tonnes of

active ingredients (Mt), a 2 percent decrease compared with 2022, a
14 percent increase in a decade, and a doubling since 1990.
→ Pesticides use per area of cropland in 2023 was 2.40 kg per hectare.
→ In 2023, the volume of total pesticides exports (used here as a proxy
for trade) decreased by 3 percent compared with 2022 to 6.7 Mt of
formulated products, and their value decreased by 12 percent to
USD 42.8 billion.
→ The Americas imported the highest amounts of pesticides from other
regions of the world in 2023 (1.97 Mt), just ahead of Europe (1.96 Mt).
→ Asia exported the most pesticides to other regions with quantities and
values of 2.4 Mt and USD 11.4 billion in 2023.
→ Most of Africa’s pesticides imports come from countries outside the
region, and the majority of exported pesticides remain in the region.
→ Europe’s application of pesticides was slightly above the world
average on a per hectare (1.59 kg/ha), per value of agriculture
(0.91 g/I$), and per person (0.65 kg/cap) basis.
→ In 2023, Oceania applied the highest levels of pesticides per hectare of
cropland (5.64 kg/ha), per value of agricultural production (2.55 g/I$)
and per person (2.44 kg/cap).
→ Azole-based antimicrobial fungicides contributed to 9 percent of total
fungicides and bactericides across all available countries (64).

FAOSTAT PESTICIDES

BACKGROUND

Pesticides are a key agricultural input needed to protect seeds and safeguard crops from unwanted
plants, insects, bacteria, fungi and rodents. At the same time, pesticides can have negative health and
environmental impacts through contamination of soil, water and non-target plants and animals, which
can decrease biodiversity and harm living organisms including humans.
Statistics of pesticides use and trade are relevant for monitoring the sustainability of agriculture. In
particular, they can help assess the global movement of pesticides and identify possible shortcomings
in access to markets. The FAOSTAT Pesticides Use domain contains data on pesticides use by country,
in active ingredients and by major pesticide category, currently for the period 1990–2023. The domain
also includes relevant indicators, such as pesticides use per hectare of cropland, per person and per
value of agricultural production. The FAOSTAT Pesticides Trade domain additionally provides
information on internationally traded pesticides, in formulated products over the period 1961–2023.
Trade data for 1961–1989 cover only monetary values, while data for 1990–2023 also include physical
quantities. Figures for pesticides trade can exceed in some cases those of pesticides use for a
combination of reasons that include non-agricultural uses for imported pesticides such as those in the
public health sector, storage of imported pesticides for use in subsequent years, and imports of pesticide
formulations including adjuvants to increase efficacy and shelf life.
While reduced labour and energy costs can drive the increased use of pesticides, especially herbicides,
there are hidden environmental and health costs (FAO, 2023). The Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (FAO) promotes integrated pest management practices (such as the use of
resistant or tolerant crop varieties) and sound agricultural practices, including proper irrigation,
fertilization, pruning, using clean planting and seed material, crop sanitation, and disinfection (FAO,
2025). Given the increasing importance of antimicrobials as alternative pest control agents, data are
presented for the first time in this analytical brief on the share of azole-based antimicrobial fungicides to
total fungicides and bactericides.
GLOBAL

Total pesticides use in agriculture in 2023 was 3.73 million tonnes (Mt) of active ingredients, a 2 percent
decrease with respect to 2022, a 14 percent increase in a decade, and a doubling since 1990 (Figure 1).
Comparing the most recent decade with the 1990s, the global application of pesticides increased by
130 percent for herbicides, 58 percent for fungicides and bactericides, and 48 percent for insecticides.
Over the same period the breakdown of pesticides categories changed, with increases in the share of
herbicides (from 40 percent to 51 percent of total pesticides use) and reductions in the share of
insecticides (from 26 percent to 22 percent), and of fungicides and bactericides (from 25 percent to
22 percent).
Figure 1: Global pesticides use by category

4.0

3.5

3.0
Million tonnes

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2023

Fungicides and bactericides Herbicides Insecticides Other

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Pesticides Use. [Accessed July 2025].

http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RP. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.
Pesticides use and trade
1990–2023
FAOSTAT Analytical Brief 109

In 2023, the volume of total pesticides exports (used here as a proxy for trade) decreased by 3 percent
compared with 2022 to approximately 6.7 Mt of formulated products,1 and their value decreased by
12 percent to USD 42.8 billion. Over the 2014–2023 decade, the volume of pesticides exports went up
39 percent, while their value went up 27 percent.
Pesticide usage intensities have changed over time, and in the most recent year have all decreased.
Pesticides use per area of cropland in 2023 was 2.40 kg per hectare (kg/ha), a decrease of 2 percent
compared with 2022; use per value of agricultural production was 0.88 g per international dollar (g/I$)
(−4 percent); and use per person was 0.45 kg per capita (kg/cap) (−3 percent). Between 1990 and 2023,
these indicators increased by 96 percent, 4 percent, and 31 percent, respectively (Figures 4, 5 and 6).
REGIONAL

The Americas have been the largest user of pesticides since the mid-1990s among all regions, ahead of
Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania. There, pesticides use in agriculture decreased by 3 percent from
1.89 Mt in 2022 to 1.84 Mt in 2023 (Figure 2) but increased by 202 percent between 1990 and 2023 and
by 25 percent in the most recent decade. Over the whole period, the Americas applied the highest levels
of pesticides in agriculture, averaging approximately 1.16 Mt per year. Between the 1990s and 2014–2023,
the mix of pesticides used shifted to a larger share of herbicides (from 50 percent to 67 percent), fungicides
and bactericides (from 13 percent to 14 percent) and a smaller share of insecticides (from 22 percent to
12 percent) (Figure 7). The Americas imported the highest amounts of pesticides in 2023: 1.97 Mt by
volume of formulated products, corresponding to a value of USD 14.0 billion. The region also applied the
highest levels of pesticides on average over the entire period per area of cropland (3.13 kg/ha) and per
value of agricultural production (1.52 g/I$), and the second highest levels per capita (1.24 kg/cap).
Figure 2: Total pesticides use by region

4.0

3.5

3.0
Million tonnes

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2023

Americas Asia Europe Africa Oceania

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Pesticides Use. [Accessed July 2025].

http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RP. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.

1
Non-agricultural uses, the use of adjuvants to increase shelf life and efficacy, and storage of imported pesticides attribute to the
difference between traded pesticides quantities and use in agriculture.
 Asia used 1.05 Mt of pesticides in 2023, a 1 percent decrease compared with 2022 and a 75 percent
increase since 1990 (Figure 2). In 2023, the region exported the largest quantities of pesticides (3.6 Mt,
corresponding to a value of USD 17.1 billion) (Figure 3). It also exported the most pesticides to other
regions with quantities and values of 2.4 Mt and USD 11.4 billion. Asia was below the world average on
a per hectare, per value of agricultural production and per person basis over the whole period, averaging
1.61 kg/ha, 0.61 g/I$ and 0.22 kg/cap, respectively (Figures 4, 5 and 6).
Figure 3: Total pesticides export and import quantities and values by region

Export quantity Export value

4.0 25
3.5
20
3.0
Million tonnes

USD billion
2.5 15
2.0
1.5 10
1.0
5
0.5
0.0 0
1995
1990

2000

2005

2010

2015

2020
2023

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

2020
2023
Import quantity Import value
2.5 20
18
2.0 16
Million tonnes

14
USD billion

1.5 12
10
1.0 8
6
0.5 4
2
0.0 0
1995
1990

2000

2005

2010

2015

2020
2023

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

2020
2023

Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania

Note: Includes intraregional trade.

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Pesticides Trade. [Accessed July 2025].
http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RT. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.
In Europe, pesticides use in agriculture decreased from 473 thousand tonnes (kt) in 2021 to 444 kt in
2023 (−6 percent). Since 1990, the growth rate was −12 percent, with a reduction in the most recent
decade by 16 percent. Europe had the lowest proportion of pesticides use derived from insecticides
(13 percent), most likely due to the stringent European Common Agricultural Policy (Alexoaei et al.,
2022), which monitors and controls the use of pesticides. The reduction also stems from increasing
demand of organic products, which prohibit the use of synthetic pesticides (Eurostat, 2024). Including
Pesticides use and trade
1990–2023
FAOSTAT Analytical Brief 109

intraregional trade, European countries imported 1.29 Mt of pesticides on average per year between
1990 and 2023 (Figure 3), highlighting the trade partnerships within the region. The region’s pesticides
use per area of cropland was 1.66 kg/ha in 2023, below the world average. Over the whole period,
Europe’s application of pesticides was below the world average on a per hectare basis (1.59 kg/ha), but
above the world average on a per value of agricultural production (0.91 g/I$) and per person
(0.65 kg/cap) basis.
Figure 4: Pesticides use per area of cropland by region

4
kg/ha

0
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2023

Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania World

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Pesticides Use. [Accessed July 2025].

http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RP. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.
Pesticides use in Africa increased only marginally between 2022 and 2023, from 209 kt to 211 kt, but
increased considerably during the most recent decade (29 percent); the increase between 1990 and
2023 stands at 186 percent. Africa uses low levels of pesticides, contributing only 5 percent to the global
total between 2014 and 2023. Between 1990–1999 and 2014–2023, the share of fungicides and
bactericides in total pesticides use increased from 29 percent to 34 percent, and that of herbicides from
23 percent to 31 percent, while the share of insecticides dropped from 38 percent to 28 percent. Most
of Africa’s pesticides imports come from countries outside the region, and the majority of exported
pesticides remain in the region. In 2023, total pesticides imports reached 918 kt (USD 3.7 billion), of
which 854 kt (USD 3.4 billion) came from other regions; total pesticides exports were 59 kt
(USD 389 million) of which only 10 kt were exported to non-African countries (USD 79 million).
Compared with 2022, exported quantities decreased by 3 percent, and imports increased by 20 percent,
which could be an indication of decreased domestic production for use within African countries. The
region applied the lowest levels of pesticides per area of cropland, per person, and per value of
agricultural production between 1990 and 2023 (0.45 kg/ha, 0.11 kg/cap and 0.43 g/I$, respectively).
 Figure 5: Pesticides use per value of agricultural production by region

3.0

2.5

2.0
g/I$

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2023

Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania World

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Pesticides Use. [Accessed July 2025].

http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RP. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.
Figure 6: Pesticides use per capita by region

3.0

2.5

2.0
kg/cap

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2023

Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania World

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Pesticides Use. [Accessed July 2025].

http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RP. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.
Pesticides use and trade
1990–2023
FAOSTAT Analytical Brief 109

Pesticides use in agriculture in Oceania has increased by 230 percent in the most recent decade from
59 kt in 2014 to 190 kt in 2023. For Australia,2 which is the largest user of pesticides in the region, newly
reported data for 2023 of 182 kt are three times higher than the most recent official data (60 kt for 2017).
Between the 1990s and 2014–2023, shares increased for herbicides (from 67 percent to 80 percent)
and declined for insecticides (from 21 percent to 11 percent), fungicides and bactericides (from
9 percent to 7 percent), and other pesticides (from 3 percent to 1 percent). The region traded low levels
of pesticides, with most of the exports occurring between countries within the region. In 2023, total
imports within the region declined to 301 kt, with a value of USD 1.5 billion. Of these, most were traded
internally, and almost 70 percent of pesticides exports stayed within the region. In 2023, Oceania applied
the highest levels of pesticides per hectare of cropland (5.64 kg/ha), per value of agricultural production
(2.55 g/I$) and per person (2.44 kg/cap).
Figure 7: Pesticides use by region and category

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1990–1999

2014–2023

1990–1999

2014–2023

1990–1999

2014–2023

1990–1999

2014–2023

1990–1999

2014–2023

1990–1999

2014–2023
World Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania

Herbicides Fungicides and bactericides Insecticides Other

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Pesticides Use. [Accessed July 2025].

http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RP. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.
COUNTRY

Figure 8 shows that Brazil was the world’s largest user of pesticides in 2023, with 801 kt of pesticides
applications for agricultural use. This was around 86 percent higher than the United States of America
(430 kt), the second largest user. The next three users – Indonesia (295 kt), Argentina (263 kt) and
China (218 kt) – all had similar applications levels. The next five users were Australia (182 kt), Viet Nam
(162 kt), the Russian Federation (97 kt), Canada (96 kt) and France (65 kt). Applications per cropland
area varied widely among these top pesticides users, from 13.9 kg/ha in Viet Nam to 0.8 kg/ha in the
Russian Federation (Figure 9).

2
The latest official data in FAOSTAT from 2017 for Australia were linearly interpolated with newly provided data for 2023.
Preliminary analyses indicate that a balance obtained using United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
production data and Australian export unit values would result in FAO estimates 9 percent lower for 2023 and 27 percent higher
over the entire time series. The same balance approach would result in 2023 numbers 1.5 times higher than the latest official data
for 2017, if the balance were used for the entire time series.
 Figure 8: Pesticides use, top countries (2023)

900
800
Thousand tonnes

700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0

Americas Asia Europe Oceania

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Pesticides Use. [Accessed July 2025].

http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RP. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.
Figure 9: Pesticides use per area of cropland in top pesticides users (2023)

16
14
12
10
kg/ha

8
6
4
2
0

Americas Asia Europe Oceania

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Pesticides Use. [Accessed July 2025].

http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RP. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.
The data show large disparities between the pesticides application rates per cropland area within
regions in 2023 (Figure 10). For example, in the Americas, while some countries applied high levels of
pesticides (for example in the Caribbean), others, including Peru, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Haiti and Cuba all applied levels below the global average. In Africa,
which generally has low levels of pesticides use per area of cropland, a few countries, such as Djibouti,
Pesticides use and trade
1990–2023
FAOSTAT Analytical Brief 109

Mauritius and South Africa were exceptions. The less industrialized countries in Eastern Europe applied
lower levels than the rest of the region.
Figure 10: Pesticides use per cropland area (2023)

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Pesticides Use. [Accessed July 2025].

http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RP. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.
FOCUS ON ANTIMICROBIALS

Antimicrobials used as pesticides include bactericides and fungicides applied against plant diseases.
Azole fungicides can also have bactericidal properties and are used to prevent and treat infections in
plants. However, there is growing concern on the use of these products and associated antimicrobial
resistance with potential cross-over into human pathogens through food consumption. In this analytical
brief, data for azole-based fungicides, including triazoles, diazoles and benzimidazoles, are presented
for the first time. The global proportion of azoles among all bactericides and fungicides was estimated
using data collected from 64 countries over the last ten years (Figure 11). Across all available countries,
azole-based fungicides represented 9 percent of total fungicides and bactericides. Europe had the
highest median share of azole-based fungicides (13 percent based on data for 32 countries). Other
regions had lower shares: 7 percent in the Americas (based on data for 11 countries), 4 percent in Asia
(based on data for 14 countries and territories), and 1 percent in Africa (based on data for 7 countries).
There is no recent data for Oceania. More focused attention on reporting of antimicrobials in the future
would provide a more complete picture of the state of their use in agriculture and allow for better informed
decisions by policymakers.
 Figure 11: Share of azole-based antimicrobial fungicides to total fungicides and bactericides
(latest year available from 2014 to 2023)

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Pesticides Use. [Accessed July 2025].

http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RP. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.
Pesticides use and trade
1990–2023
FAOSTAT Analytical Brief 109

EXPLANATORY NOTES

 The FAOSTAT Pesticides Use domain contains information on the use of major pesticide groups:
o 1. Insecticides (Chlorinated hydrocarbons, Organo–phosphates, Carbamates–insecticides,
Pyrethroids, Botanical and biological products and Others not elsewhere classified);
o 2. Mineral oils;
o 3. Herbicides (Phenoxy hormone products, Triazines, Amides, Carbamates–herbicides,
Dinitroanilines, Urea derivatives, Sulfonyl urea, Bipiridils, Uracil, Others not elsewhere
classified);
o 4. Fungicides and bactericides (Inorganic, Dithiocarbamates, Benzimidazoles, Triazoles
Diazoles, Diazines Morpholines, Others not elsewhere classified);
o 5. Seed treatment-fungicides (Dithiocarbamates, Benzimidazoles, Triazoles Diazoles, Diazines
Morpholines, Botanical products and biological, Others not elsewhere classified);
o 6. Seed treatment-insecticides (Organo-phosphates, Carbamates–insecticides, Pyrethroids,
Others not elsewhere classified);
o 7. Plant growth regulators;
o 8. Rodenticides (Anti–coagulants, Cyanide Generators, Hypercalcaemics, Narcotics, Others not
elsewhere classified);
o 9. Other pesticides not elsewhere specified;
o 10. Disinfectants.

 Conversion factors were used to convert data in formulated products to active ingredients in those
cases where only data in formulated products were reported. Because the subset of countries for
which time series were reconciled to active ingredients could not be considered representative of
their regions, we used global conversion factors only, by pesticides type where possible, and a
global generic conversion factor when not possible (see country notes for actual values used). Gap-
filled pesticides subcategories for the ten categories listed above are disseminated along with the
Pesticides (total) category.

 The Pesticides Use domain has as a primary source of data questionnaires annually dispatched by
FAO to the focal points indicated by the governments of the different countries and territories. Data
are supplemented with international sources such as Eurostat pesticides sales data.

 The FAOSTAT Pesticides Trade domain contains information on the trade of pesticides products in
either: a) finished forms and/or packaged products; or b) separate chemically defined compounds
relevant to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain
Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade.

 The FAOSTAT Pesticides Trade domain contains information on the trade of pesticides classified
under code 38.08 of the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description.
 REFERENCES

Alexoaei, A.P., Robu, R.G., Cojanu, V., Miron, D. & Holobiuc, A.-M. 2022. Good Practices in
Reforming the Common Agricultural Policy to Support the European Green Deal – A Perspective on the
Consumption of Pesticides and Fertilizers. Amfiteatru Economic, 24(60), pp. 525-545.
https://doi.org/10.24818/EA/2022/60/525
Eurostat. 2024. Developments in organic farming. In: Eurostat. [Cited July 2025].
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Developments_in_organic_farming
FAO. 2023. The State of Food and Agriculture 2023. Revealing the true cost of food to transform
agrifood systems. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc7724en
FAO. 2025. Guidance on integrated pest management for the world’s major crop pests and diseases.
Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cd4890en
United Nations. 2019. Methodology Guide for UN Comtrade User on UN Comtrade Upgrade 2019.
New York. https://comtrade.un.org/data/MethodologyGuideforComtradePlus.pdf
United Nations. 2021. UN Comtrade Database. [Accessed May 2025]. https://comtrade.un.org/

This analytical brief was prepared by Nathan Wanner, Andrea Alcibiade and Francesco N. Tubiello, FAO Statistics
Division, with input from Olivier Lavagne d’Ortigue (FAO Statistics Division), Marie Verhaegen, Kim Anh Tempelman and
Gu Baogen (FAO Plant Production and Protection Division). Support to the pesticides data collection, analysis and
dissemination process was provided by the Environmental Statistics team.
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion
whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or
development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its
frontiers or boundaries.
Required citation: FAO. 2025. Pesticides use and trade – 1990–2023. FAOSTAT Analytical Briefs, No. 109. Rome.
https://doi.org/10.4060/cd5968en
Cover photo: © FAO/Mattia Romano

Attribution - 4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0).

Some rights reserved. This work is made
available under the Creative Commons

CONTACTS
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Rome, Italy
© FAO, 2025

CD5968EN/1/07.25