Pesticide use in Laos
Laos: Pesticide use was 187 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Pesticide use in Laos, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Laos recorded 187 tonnes for pesticide use in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 48.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pesticide use in Laos peaked at 187 tonnes in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 2007.
That places Laos 151st out of 211 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Pesticide use in Laos, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 21 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 21 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 21 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 46 tonnes | +119.0% |
| 1994 | 36 tonnes | -21.7% |
| 1995 | 25 tonnes | -30.6% |
| 1996 | 15 tonnes | -40.0% |
| 1997 | 4 tonnes | -73.3% |
| 1998 | 1 tonnes | -75.0% |
| 1999 | 1 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 1 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2 tonnes | +100.0% |
| 2002 | 2 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3 tonnes | +50.0% |
| 2004 | 3 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 4 tonnes | +33.3% |
| 2006 | 4 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 2008 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 2009 | 26 tonnes | — |
| 2010 | 2 tonnes | -92.3% |
| 2011 | 44 tonnes | +2100.0% |
| 2012 | 44 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 126 tonnes | +186.4% |
| 2014 | 3 tonnes | -97.6% |
| 2015 | 50 tonnes | +1566.7% |
| 2016 | 98 tonnes | +96.0% |
| 2017 | 145 tonnes | +48.0% |
| 2018 | 187 tonnes | +29.0% |
| 2019 | 187 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 187 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 187 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 187 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 187 tonnes | +0.0% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 187 tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,280 tonnes, 15% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Laos's 187 tonnes is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 287 tonnes, 65% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Pesticide use in Laos 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 | +2100.0% | 2 tonnes | 44 tonnes |
| 2015 | +1566.7% | 3 tonnes | 50 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.1 tonnes | 1 tonnes | 46 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.5 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 26 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 88.6 tonnes | 2 tonnes | 187 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 187 tonnes | 187 tonnes | 187 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More reference data data for Laos
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6615 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.913 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3021 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 3.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.64 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pesticide use in Laos?
- Pesticide use in Laos was 187 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 pesticide use recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 187 tonnes in 2018.
- What is the lowest pesticide use recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 2007.
- How does Laos rank for pesticide use?
- Laos ranks 151st out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pesticide use rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos 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. 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
Total pesticide use measured in tonnes of pesticide consumption per year.