Pesticide use per hectare of cropland in India
India: Pesticide use per hectare of cropland was 0.24 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
0.24 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
172nd
of 198 countries
All-time high
0.44 kilograms per hectare
in 1990
All-time low
0.09 kilograms per hectare
in 2008
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Pesticide use per hectare of cropland in India, 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
In 2023, pesticide use per hectare of cropland in India stood at 0.24 kilograms per hectare.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, pesticide use per hectare of cropland in India peaked at 0.44 kilograms per hectare in 1990 and was at its lowest, 0.09 kilograms per hectare, in 2008.
That places India 172nd out of 198 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Pesticide use per hectare of cropland in India, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.44 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1991 | 0.42 kilograms per hectare | -4.5% |
| 1992 | 0.42 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.39 kilograms per hectare | -7.1% |
| 1994 | 0.36 kilograms per hectare | -7.7% |
| 1995 | 0.36 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.33 kilograms per hectare | -8.3% |
| 1997 | 0.31 kilograms per hectare | -6.1% |
| 1998 | 0.29 kilograms per hectare | -6.5% |
| 1999 | 0.27 kilograms per hectare | -6.9% |
| 2000 | 0.26 kilograms per hectare | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 0.26 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.25 kilograms per hectare | -3.8% |
| 2003 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 0.21 kilograms per hectare | -12.5% |
| 2005 | 0.21 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.22 kilograms per hectare | +4.8% |
| 2007 | 0.16 kilograms per hectare | -27.3% |
| 2008 | 0.09 kilograms per hectare | -43.8% |
| 2009 | 0.17 kilograms per hectare | +88.9% |
| 2010 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +41.2% |
| 2011 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 0.24 kilograms per hectare is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.99 kilograms per hectare, 24% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- India's 0.24 kilograms per hectare is below the median for South Asia, which is 1.02 kilograms per hectare, 24% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.359 kilograms per hectare | 0.27 kilograms per hectare | 0.44 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.207 kilograms per hectare | 0.09 kilograms per hectare | 0.26 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | 0.24 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
More agriculture & rural data for India
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.124 % 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 0.1139 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0953 % 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 0.121 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1623 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 438.73 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4067 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pesticide use per hectare of cropland in India?
- Pesticide use per hectare of cropland in India was 0.24 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 0.44 kilograms per hectare in 1990.
- What is the lowest pesticide use per hectare of cropland recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.09 kilograms per hectare in 2008.
- How does India rank for pesticide use per hectare of cropland?
- India ranks 172nd out of 198 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pesticide use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India 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.