Insecticide use in Netherlands
Netherlands: Insecticide use was 1,731 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Insecticide use in Netherlands, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Netherlands recorded 1,731 tonnes for insecticide use in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 26.9% on the previous year and down 46.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, insecticide use in Netherlands peaked at 3,443 tonnes in 2011 and was at its lowest, 413 tonnes, in 1999.
Netherlands ranks 39th of 211 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Insecticide use in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 731 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 594 tonnes | -18.7% |
| 1992 | 557 tonnes | -6.2% |
| 1993 | 553 tonnes | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 439 tonnes | -20.6% |
| 1995 | 553 tonnes | +26.0% |
| 1996 | 495 tonnes | -10.5% |
| 1997 | 544 tonnes | +9.9% |
| 1998 | 463 tonnes | -14.9% |
| 1999 | 413 tonnes | -10.8% |
| 2000 | 1,714 tonnes | +315.0% |
| 2001 | 1,284 tonnes | -25.1% |
| 2002 | 1,466 tonnes | +14.2% |
| 2003 | 1,511 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 1,440 tonnes | -4.7% |
| 2005 | 1,663 tonnes | +15.5% |
| 2006 | 1,699 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 1,906 tonnes | +12.2% |
| 2008 | 1,858 tonnes | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 1,715 tonnes | -7.7% |
| 2010 | 1,635 tonnes | -4.7% |
| 2011 | 3,443 tonnes | +110.6% |
| 2012 | 3,316 tonnes | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 3,254 tonnes | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 2,012 tonnes | -38.2% |
| 2015 | 2,245 tonnes | +11.6% |
| 2016 | 2,689 tonnes | +19.8% |
| 2017 | 2,541 tonnes | -5.5% |
| 2018 | 1,681 tonnes | -33.8% |
| 2019 | 2,054 tonnes | +22.2% |
| 2020 | 2,576 tonnes | +25.4% |
| 2021 | 2,750 tonnes | +6.8% |
| 2022 | 2,367 tonnes | -13.9% |
| 2023 | 1,731 tonnes | -26.9% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 1,731 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 90 tonnes, 19.2× the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 1,731 tonnes is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 198 tonnes, 8.7× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Insecticide use in Netherlands 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +315.0% | 413 tonnes | 1,714 tonnes |
| 2011 | +110.6% | 1,635 tonnes | 3,443 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 534.2 tonnes | 413 tonnes | 731 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,626 tonnes | 1,284 tonnes | 1,906 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,487 tonnes | 1,635 tonnes | 3,443 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,356 tonnes | 1,731 tonnes | 2,750 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More reference data data for Netherlands
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.5851 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.79 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1102 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.79 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.83 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 3.59 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 18.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.6002 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is insecticide use in Netherlands?
- Insecticide use in Netherlands was 1,731 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 Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 3,443 tonnes in 2011.
- What is the lowest insecticide use recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 413 tonnes in 1999.
- How does Netherlands rank for insecticide use?
- Netherlands ranks 39th out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is insecticide use rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Netherlands 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.