Insecticide use in France
France: Insecticide use was 6,237 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Insecticide use in France, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2023, insecticide use in France stood at 6,237 tonnes.
That represents a change of down 6.4% on the previous year and up 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, insecticide use in France peaked at 11,039 tonnes in 1990 and was at its lowest, 1,033 tonnes, in 2010.
That places France 24th out of 211 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Insecticide use in France, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 11,039 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 10,673 tonnes | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 6,110 tonnes | -42.8% |
| 1993 | 5,408 tonnes | -11.5% |
| 1994 | 4,558 tonnes | -15.7% |
| 1995 | 8,848 tonnes | +94.1% |
| 1996 | 7,603 tonnes | -14.1% |
| 1997 | 6,074 tonnes | -20.1% |
| 1998 | 4,672 tonnes | -23.1% |
| 1999 | 3,250 tonnes | -30.4% |
| 2000 | 3,103 tonnes | -4.5% |
| 2001 | 2,488 tonnes | -19.8% |
| 2002 | 2,308 tonnes | -7.2% |
| 2003 | 2,224 tonnes | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 2,460 tonnes | +10.6% |
| 2005 | 2,506 tonnes | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 2,140 tonnes | -14.6% |
| 2007 | 2,101 tonnes | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 1,254 tonnes | -40.3% |
| 2009 | 1,121 tonnes | -10.6% |
| 2010 | 1,033 tonnes | -7.9% |
| 2011 | 4,171 tonnes | +303.8% |
| 2012 | 5,458 tonnes | +30.9% |
| 2013 | 5,710 tonnes | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 6,195 tonnes | +8.5% |
| 2015 | 5,165 tonnes | -16.6% |
| 2016 | 6,280 tonnes | +21.6% |
| 2017 | 6,265 tonnes | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 6,358 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 4,801 tonnes | -24.5% |
| 2020 | 6,479 tonnes | +35.0% |
| 2021 | 6,960 tonnes | +7.4% |
| 2022 | 6,665 tonnes | -4.2% |
| 2023 | 6,237 tonnes | -6.4% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 6,237 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 90 tonnes, 69.3× the median. (73 countries reporting)
- France's 6,237 tonnes is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 198 tonnes, 31.5× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Insecticide use in France changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +303.8% | 1,033 tonnes | 4,171 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6,824 tonnes | 3,250 tonnes | 11,039 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,170 tonnes | 1,121 tonnes | 3,103 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 5,144 tonnes | 1,033 tonnes | 6,358 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 6,585 tonnes | 6,237 tonnes | 6,960 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
More reference data data for France
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 22.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 22.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 18.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 11.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 14.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 106.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.3 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is insecticide use in France?
- Insecticide use in France was 6,237 tonnes 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 insecticide use recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 11,039 tonnes in 1990.
- What is the lowest insecticide use recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,033 tonnes in 2010.
- How does France rank for insecticide use?
- France ranks 24th out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is insecticide use rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this France 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 Insecticide use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual quantity of insecticides used in agriculture, measured as the tonnes of active ingredient per year.