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 2021,
a total of 505.16 thousand metric tons of pesticides, accounting for 14.3 percent of the
.
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 2021, about 59.7 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 3.7 percent of sales. However, over 90 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 38.2 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.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no
liability for the information given being complete or correct.
Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
data than referenced in the text.
