Pesticide use in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Pesticide use was 3,213 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Pesticide use in Saudi Arabia, 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 Saudi Arabia is 3,213 tonnes, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 53.3% on the previous year and down 40.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pesticide use in Saudi Arabia peaked at 10,597 tonnes in 2019 and was at its lowest, 994 tonnes, in 1990.
Saudi Arabia ranks 76th 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 994 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 994 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 994 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 994 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 994 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 994 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 994 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2,513 tonnes | +152.8% |
| 1998 | 2,683 tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1999 | 2,854 tonnes | +6.4% |
| 2000 | 3,024 tonnes | +6.0% |
| 2001 | 3,194 tonnes | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 3,365 tonnes | +5.4% |
| 2003 | 3,535 tonnes | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 3,706 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 3,876 tonnes | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 4,046 tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 4,217 tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 4,416 tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2009 | 4,615 tonnes | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 4,815 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 5,014 tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 5,213 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 5,413 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 6,277 tonnes | +16.0% |
| 2015 | 7,141 tonnes | +13.8% |
| 2016 | 8,005 tonnes | +12.1% |
| 2017 | 8,869 tonnes | +10.8% |
| 2018 | 9,733 tonnes | +9.7% |
| 2019 | 10,597 tonnes | +8.9% |
| 2020 | 7,375 tonnes | -30.4% |
| 2021 | 7,126 tonnes | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 6,877 tonnes | -3.5% |
| 2023 | 3,213 tonnes | -53.3% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 3,213 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 1,224 tonnes, 2.6× the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 3,213 tonnes is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1,713 tonnes, 1.9× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Pesticide use in Saudi Arabia 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 | +152.8% | 994 tonnes | 2,513 tonnes |
| 2023 | -53.3% | 6,877 tonnes | 3,213 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,501 tonnes | 994 tonnes | 2,854 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,799 tonnes | 3,024 tonnes | 4,615 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 7,108 tonnes | 4,815 tonnes | 10,597 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 6,148 tonnes | 3,213 tonnes | 7,375 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More reference data data for Saudi Arabia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1771 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6194 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.2207 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9641 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pesticide use in Saudi Arabia?
- Pesticide use in Saudi Arabia was 3,213 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 10,597 tonnes in 2019.
- What is the lowest pesticide use recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 994 tonnes in 1990.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for pesticide use?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 76th out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pesticide use rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.