Pesticide use in Nepal
Nepal: Pesticide use was 1,175 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Pesticide use in Nepal, 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 pesticide use in Nepal is 1,175 tonnes, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 158.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pesticide use in Nepal peaked at 1,175 tonnes in 2022 and was at its lowest, 60 tonnes, in 1990.
Nepal ranks 111th of 211 countries on this measure, 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 Nepal, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 60 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 60 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 60 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 60 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 60 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 60 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 70 tonnes | +16.7% |
| 1997 | 81 tonnes | +15.7% |
| 1998 | 91 tonnes | +12.3% |
| 1999 | 101 tonnes | +11.0% |
| 2000 | 112 tonnes | +10.9% |
| 2001 | 122 tonnes | +8.9% |
| 2002 | 132 tonnes | +8.2% |
| 2003 | 143 tonnes | +8.3% |
| 2004 | 153 tonnes | +7.0% |
| 2005 | 128 tonnes | -16.3% |
| 2006 | 129 tonnes | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 344 tonnes | +166.7% |
| 2008 | 353 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 210 tonnes | -40.5% |
| 2010 | 332 tonnes | +58.1% |
| 2011 | 343 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 410 tonnes | +19.5% |
| 2013 | 455 tonnes | +11.0% |
| 2014 | 549 tonnes | +20.7% |
| 2015 | 574 tonnes | +4.6% |
| 2016 | 633 tonnes | +10.3% |
| 2017 | 692 tonnes | +9.3% |
| 2018 | 750 tonnes | +8.4% |
| 2019 | 809 tonnes | +7.9% |
| 2020 | 682 tonnes | -15.7% |
| 2021 | 783 tonnes | +14.8% |
| 2022 | 1,175 tonnes | +50.1% |
| 2023 | 1,175 tonnes | +0.0% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 1,175 tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,280 tonnes, 92% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 1,175 tonnes is below the median for South Asia, which is 1,487 tonnes, 79% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Pesticide use in Nepal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | +166.7% | 129 tonnes | 344 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 70.3 tonnes | 60 tonnes | 101 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 182.6 tonnes | 112 tonnes | 353 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 554.7 tonnes | 332 tonnes | 809 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 953.75 tonnes | 682 tonnes | 1,175 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More reference data data for Nepal
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7753 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7853 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.6 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.7974 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.28 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pesticide use in Nepal?
- Pesticide use in Nepal was 1,175 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 Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 1,175 tonnes in 2022.
- What is the lowest pesticide use recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 60 tonnes in 1990.
- How does Nepal rank for pesticide use?
- Nepal ranks 111th out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pesticide use rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 158.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nepal 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.