René Muschter
Research Expert covering Industry & Mobility
Pesticides in Europe - statistics & facts
The European pesticide sector plays a crucial role in the region's agricultural industry. The main objective of pesticide use is to safeguard crops from various threats. These threats include pests, diseases, and weeds that can potentially harm or destroy crops. Therefore, this sector is vital in ensuring the health and productivity of the region's agricultural crops. In 2023, Europe consumed a total of 444.32 thousand metric tons of pesticides, accounting for 11.9 percent of the total agricultural pesticide consumption worldwide.
A sustainable path forward for Europe’s pesticide sector will depend on balancing the need to safeguard agricultural productivity and food security with the imperative to minimize risks to human health, biodiversity, and the environment. As consumer demand for organic and eco-friendly alternatives grows, the adoption of stricter regulations, investment in research, and the development of innovative agricultural practices will be essential to ensuring that Europe secures a safe, resilient, and sustainable food system for the future.
European pesticide manufacturing and sales
Major players dominating the European pesticide sector include BASF, Bayer, and Syngenta. These manufacturers produce a wide range of pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. In 2023, about 62.9 percent of the fungicides and bactericides sold in the European Union (EU) were inorganic fungicides, such as copper compounds and inorganic sulfur. The largest share of insecticides and acaricides sales in the EU were pyrethroid-based, accounting for 4.1 percent of sales. However, over 95 percent of sales came from other insecticides, a category encompassing 17 chemical classes, including pyridylmethylamine insecticides and insect attractants. The largest portion of herbicide sales in the EU in 2021 was from organophosphorus herbicides, accounting for 34.9 percent. These include glyphosate, a commonly used herbicide that has been the subject of controversy due to its potential health and environmental effects.Pesticide residues in European food
Despite the benefits of pesticides in agriculture, their residues in food have raised concerns about their potential impact on human health and the environment. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) routinely monitors the levels of pesticide residues in food. While the majority of European food samples meet the legal limits for pesticide residues, a small percentage exceed these limits, underscoring the need for continuous monitoring and regulation. The European country with the highest share of import control samples above the maximum residue limit (MRL) in 2021 was Cyprus, with 17.07 percent of the samples exceeding the legal limit. This means that more than one out of six food samples imported from Cyprus had too much pesticide residue. That same year, glyphosate residue was found within 1.38 percent of European samples, with glyphosate residue levels exceeding the MRL in 0.15 percent of the samples tested. Overall, the European pesticide sector plays a crucial role in supporting the region's agriculture. However, it also faces challenges related to public health and the growing consumer preference for organic products.A sustainable path forward for Europe’s pesticide sector will depend on balancing the need to safeguard agricultural productivity and food security with the imperative to minimize risks to human health, biodiversity, and the environment. As consumer demand for organic and eco-friendly alternatives grows, the adoption of stricter regulations, investment in research, and the development of innovative agricultural practices will be essential to ensuring that Europe secures a safe, resilient, and sustainable food system for the future.
