Pesticide use per hectare of cropland in Italy
Italy: Pesticide use per hectare of cropland was 4.17 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ▼ Falling
Pesticide use per hectare of cropland in Italy, 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 Italy stood at 4.17 kilograms per hectare. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of down 11.1% on the previous year and down 31.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pesticide use per hectare of cropland in Italy peaked at 8.65 kilograms per hectare in 2002 and was at its lowest, 4.17 kilograms per hectare, in 2023.
Italy ranks 66th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Pesticide use per hectare of cropland in Italy, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 8.4 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1991 | 7.5 kilograms per hectare | -10.7% |
| 1992 | 7.59 kilograms per hectare | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 7.85 kilograms per hectare | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 7.29 kilograms per hectare | -7.1% |
| 1995 | 7.7 kilograms per hectare | +5.6% |
| 1996 | 6.78 kilograms per hectare | -11.9% |
| 1997 | 7.73 kilograms per hectare | +14.0% |
| 1998 | 7.55 kilograms per hectare | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 7.14 kilograms per hectare | -5.4% |
| 2000 | 7.04 kilograms per hectare | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 6.82 kilograms per hectare | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 8.65 kilograms per hectare | +26.8% |
| 2003 | 8.17 kilograms per hectare | -5.5% |
| 2004 | 7.96 kilograms per hectare | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 8.19 kilograms per hectare | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 7.49 kilograms per hectare | -8.5% |
| 2007 | 8.29 kilograms per hectare | +10.7% |
| 2008 | 7.93 kilograms per hectare | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 7.76 kilograms per hectare | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 7.44 kilograms per hectare | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 7.61 kilograms per hectare | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 6.45 kilograms per hectare | -15.2% |
| 2013 | 6.1 kilograms per hectare | -5.4% |
| 2014 | 6.49 kilograms per hectare | +6.4% |
| 2015 | 6.97 kilograms per hectare | +7.4% |
| 2016 | 6.55 kilograms per hectare | -6.0% |
| 2017 | 6.12 kilograms per hectare | -6.6% |
| 2018 | 5.9 kilograms per hectare | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 5.19 kilograms per hectare | -12.0% |
| 2020 | 6.01 kilograms per hectare | +15.8% |
| 2021 | 5.36 kilograms per hectare | -10.8% |
| 2022 | 4.69 kilograms per hectare | -12.5% |
| 2023 | 4.17 kilograms per hectare | -11.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.55 kilograms per hectare | 6.78 kilograms per hectare | 8.4 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.83 kilograms per hectare | 6.82 kilograms per hectare | 8.65 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.48 kilograms per hectare | 5.19 kilograms per hectare | 7.61 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.06 kilograms per hectare | 4.17 kilograms per hectare | 6.01 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near Italy
More agriculture & rural data for Italy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0207 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 894.54 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.3131 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3032 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pesticide use per hectare of cropland in Italy?
- Pesticide use per hectare of cropland in Italy was 4.17 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 Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 8.65 kilograms per hectare in 2002.
- What is the lowest pesticide use per hectare of cropland recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.17 kilograms per hectare in 2023.
- How does Italy rank for pesticide use per hectare of cropland?
- Italy ranks 66th out of 198 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pesticide use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Italy 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.
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About this data
Average pesticide application per unit of cropland, measured in kilograms per hectare.