Pesticide use per hectare of cropland in Canada
Canada: Pesticide use per hectare of cropland was 2.5 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2.5 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
88th
of 198 countries
All-time high
2.54 kilograms per hectare
in 2017
All-time low
0.71 kilograms per hectare
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Pesticide use per hectare of cropland in Canada, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per hectare.
Analysis
Canada recorded 2.5 kilograms per hectare for pesticide use per hectare of cropland in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 16.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pesticide use per hectare of cropland in Canada peaked at 2.54 kilograms per hectare in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.71 kilograms per hectare, in 1990.
Canada ranks 88th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Pesticide use per hectare of cropland in Canada, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.71 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1991 | 0.71 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.71 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.71 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.71 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.78 kilograms per hectare | +9.9% |
| 1996 | 0.86 kilograms per hectare | +10.3% |
| 1997 | 0.93 kilograms per hectare | +8.1% |
| 1998 | 1 kilograms per hectare | +7.5% |
| 1999 | 1.08 kilograms per hectare | +8.0% |
| 2000 | 0.97 kilograms per hectare | -10.2% |
| 2001 | 0.94 kilograms per hectare | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 0.84 kilograms per hectare | -10.6% |
| 2003 | 0.88 kilograms per hectare | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 0.9 kilograms per hectare | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 0.91 kilograms per hectare | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 0.93 kilograms per hectare | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 1.16 kilograms per hectare | +24.7% |
| 2008 | 1.39 kilograms per hectare | +19.8% |
| 2009 | 1.43 kilograms per hectare | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 1.61 kilograms per hectare | +12.6% |
| 2011 | 1.66 kilograms per hectare | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 1.95 kilograms per hectare | +17.5% |
| 2013 | 2.15 kilograms per hectare | +10.3% |
| 2014 | 2 kilograms per hectare | -7.0% |
| 2015 | 1.96 kilograms per hectare | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 2.35 kilograms per hectare | +19.9% |
| 2017 | 2.54 kilograms per hectare | +8.1% |
| 2018 | 2.26 kilograms per hectare | -11.0% |
| 2019 | 2.03 kilograms per hectare | -10.2% |
| 2020 | 2.42 kilograms per hectare | +19.2% |
| 2021 | 2.54 kilograms per hectare | +5.0% |
| 2022 | 2.48 kilograms per hectare | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 2.5 kilograms per hectare | +0.8% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 2.5 kilograms per hectare is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.17 kilograms per hectare, 60% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.82 kilograms per hectare | 0.71 kilograms per hectare | 1.08 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.03 kilograms per hectare | 0.84 kilograms per hectare | 1.43 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.05 kilograms per hectare | 1.61 kilograms per hectare | 2.54 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.48 kilograms per hectare | 2.42 kilograms per hectare | 2.54 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More agriculture & rural data for Canada
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.2803 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.914 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.4113 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 1.35 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 31.61 % change on previous year (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,092 current US$ per person (2022)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.0803 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pesticide use per hectare of cropland in Canada?
- Pesticide use per hectare of cropland in Canada was 2.5 kilograms per hectare in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest pesticide use per hectare of cropland recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 2.54 kilograms per hectare in 2017.
- What is the lowest pesticide use per hectare of cropland recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.71 kilograms per hectare in 1990.
- How does Canada rank for pesticide use per hectare of cropland?
- Canada ranks 88th out of 198 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pesticide use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Pesticide use per hectare of cropland. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Average pesticide application per unit of cropland, measured in kilograms per hectare.