Pesticide use in Malta
Malta: Pesticide use was 106 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Pesticide use in Malta, 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, pesticide use in Malta stood at 106 tonnes.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.0% on the previous year and down 21.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pesticide use in Malta peaked at 447 tonnes in 1994 and was at its lowest, 76 tonnes, in 2019.
Malta ranks 163rd of 211 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Pesticide use in Malta, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 326 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 326 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 326 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 326 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 447 tonnes | +37.1% |
| 1995 | 210 tonnes | -53.0% |
| 1996 | 154 tonnes | -26.7% |
| 1997 | 258 tonnes | +67.5% |
| 1998 | 261 tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 139 tonnes | -46.7% |
| 2000 | 182 tonnes | +30.9% |
| 2001 | 112 tonnes | -38.5% |
| 2002 | 113 tonnes | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 115 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 116 tonnes | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 118 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 119 tonnes | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 121 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 117 tonnes | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 114 tonnes | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 110 tonnes | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 107 tonnes | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 138 tonnes | +29.0% |
| 2013 | 135 tonnes | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 110 tonnes | -18.5% |
| 2015 | 129 tonnes | +17.3% |
| 2016 | 115 tonnes | -10.9% |
| 2017 | 108 tonnes | -6.1% |
| 2018 | 90 tonnes | -16.7% |
| 2019 | 76 tonnes | -15.6% |
| 2020 | 96 tonnes | +26.3% |
| 2021 | 109 tonnes | +13.5% |
| 2022 | 101 tonnes | -7.3% |
| 2023 | 106 tonnes | +5.0% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 106 tonnes is below the median for high income countries, which is 1,224 tonnes, 9% of the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Malta's 106 tonnes is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1,713 tonnes, 6% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Pesticide use in Malta 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +67.5% | 154 tonnes | 258 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 277.3 tonnes | 139 tonnes | 447 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 122.7 tonnes | 112 tonnes | 182 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 111.8 tonnes | 76 tonnes | 138 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 103 tonnes | 96 tonnes | 109 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malta
- 160 Guinea 111 tonnes compare
- 161 Seychelles 110 tonnes compare
- 162 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 109 tonnes compare
- 164 Saint Kitts and Nevis 101 tonnes compare
- 165 North Macedonia 98 tonnes compare
- 166 Turks and Caicos Islands 89 tonnes compare
More reference data data for Malta
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0121 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0042 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0205 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0008 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0205 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0404 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0227 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0192 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.1009 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0043 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pesticide use in Malta?
- Pesticide use in Malta was 106 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 447 tonnes in 1994.
- What is the lowest pesticide use recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 76 tonnes in 2019.
- How does Malta rank for pesticide use?
- Malta ranks 163rd out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pesticide use rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malta 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.