India vs South Africa: Pesticide use
India
40,094 tonnes
in 2023
South Africa
42,041 tonnes
in 2023
India rank
17th
South Africa rank
15th
Pesticide use over time
- India
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 42,041 tonnes against 40,094 tonnes in India, a difference of 1,947 tonnes.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 34 shared years of data; in 1990 it was India ahead.
India ranks 17th and South Africa ranks 15th of 211 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, India averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | India | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 61,036 tonnes | 19,244 tonnes | 41,792 tonnes | India |
| 2000s | 35,090 tonnes | 28,883 tonnes | 6,207 tonnes | India |
| 2010s | 40,094 tonnes | 36,730 tonnes | 3,364 tonnes | India |
| 2020s | 40,094 tonnes | 42,137 tonnes | 2,043 tonnes | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher pesticide use, India or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 42,041 tonnes against 40,094 tonnes in India as of 2023.
- What is the difference in pesticide use between India and South Africa?
- 1,947 tonnes, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for India and South Africa?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2023.
- How do India and South Africa rank globally for pesticide use?
- India ranks 17th and South Africa ranks 15th of 211 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Pesticide use. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Total pesticide use measured in tonnes of pesticide consumption per year.