Insecticide use in Portugal
Portugal: Insecticide use was 1,173 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Insecticide use in Portugal, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for insecticide use in Portugal is 1,173 tonnes, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and down 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, insecticide use in Portugal peaked at 2,198 tonnes in 2014 and was at its lowest, 347 tonnes, in 1994.
Portugal ranks 48th 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 Portugal, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 680 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 680 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 630 tonnes | -7.4% |
| 1993 | 383 tonnes | -39.2% |
| 1994 | 347 tonnes | -9.4% |
| 1995 | 396 tonnes | +14.1% |
| 1996 | 366 tonnes | -7.6% |
| 1997 | 444 tonnes | +21.3% |
| 1998 | 449 tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 462 tonnes | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 476 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 415 tonnes | -12.8% |
| 2002 | 443 tonnes | +6.7% |
| 2003 | 505 tonnes | +14.0% |
| 2004 | 409 tonnes | -19.0% |
| 2005 | 425 tonnes | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 493 tonnes | +16.0% |
| 2007 | 641 tonnes | +30.0% |
| 2008 | 380 tonnes | -40.7% |
| 2009 | 396 tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 389 tonnes | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 886 tonnes | +127.8% |
| 2012 | 2,161 tonnes | +143.9% |
| 2013 | 1,306 tonnes | -39.6% |
| 2014 | 2,198 tonnes | +68.3% |
| 2015 | 777 tonnes | -64.6% |
| 2016 | 2,094 tonnes | +169.5% |
| 2017 | 2,016 tonnes | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 685 tonnes | -66.0% |
| 2019 | 1,869 tonnes | +172.8% |
| 2020 | 891 tonnes | -52.3% |
| 2021 | 964 tonnes | +8.2% |
| 2022 | 1,144 tonnes | +18.7% |
| 2023 | 1,173 tonnes | +2.5% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 1,173 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 90 tonnes, 13.0× the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 1,173 tonnes is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 198 tonnes, 5.9× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Insecticide use in Portugal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +172.8% | 685 tonnes | 1,869 tonnes |
| 2016 | +169.5% | 777 tonnes | 2,094 tonnes |
| 2012 | +143.9% | 886 tonnes | 2,161 tonnes |
| 2011 | +127.8% | 389 tonnes | 886 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 483.7 tonnes | 347 tonnes | 680 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 458.3 tonnes | 380 tonnes | 641 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,438 tonnes | 389 tonnes | 2,198 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,043 tonnes | 891 tonnes | 1,173 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More reference data data for Portugal
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5144 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4372 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0472 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2572 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is insecticide use in Portugal?
- Insecticide use in Portugal was 1,173 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 2,198 tonnes in 2014.
- What is the lowest insecticide use recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 347 tonnes in 1994.
- How does Portugal rank for insecticide use?
- Portugal ranks 48th out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is insecticide use rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Portugal 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.