According to recent data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the sales of crop protection products in the Netherlands have decreased in 2021. A total of 9.4 million kilograms of active substances were sold, representing a 5 percent decline compared to the previous year. In 2020, there was an increase in sales, reaching nearly 10 million kilograms of active substances. The sales drop in 2021 was primarily driven by a decrease in the demand for products used to combat fungal diseases. Compared to other EU countries, the Netherlands has a relatively high usage of crop protection products in relation to agricultural land area. These findings are based on the latest figures on the sale of crop protection products released by the CBS.
Crop protection products are used in agriculture and by individuals to prevent or control diseases, pests, or weeds. They include products based on chemical active substances as well as those based on microbiological active substances such as viruses and bacteria. Additionally, some substances used, such as paraffin oil, fall under green crop protection.
In 2021, the largest portion (35 percent) of the sold crop protection products was used for combating fungi and bacteria. Furthermore, 28 percent of the sales were dedicated to weed control and leaf killing, and another 28 percent were used for insect and mite control.
Before 2017, the sales of crop protection products in the Netherlands fluctuated around 11 million kilograms. In 2017, the 10-million-kilogram mark was surpassed for the last time. Subsequently, there was a downward trend in sales for several years, but in 2020, there was a slight increase to almost 10 million kilograms.
The sales of fungicides, specifically products used for fungal disease control, experienced a significant decline in 2021, dropping by over 17 percent compared to the previous year to reach 3.3 million kilograms of active substances. Similarly, the sales of products used for weed control and leaf killing decreased by just over 1 percent. On the other hand, the sales of products for insect and mite control increased by 10 percent, reaching 2.7 million kilograms of active substances. The sales of other miscellaneous products also saw a slight increase to 0.9 million kilograms.
The sales of the fungicide mancozeb decreased by nearly 49 percent in 2021 compared to 2020, reaching 1.1 million kilograms of active substances. Mancozeb was no longer permitted for crop protection use within the EU as of June 1, 2021. Conversely, the sales of other fungicides increased by 18 percent, reaching 2.2 million kilograms of active substances. The sales of the herbicide glysophate decreased by over 9 percent in 2021 compared to the previous year, amounting to 0.7 million kilograms of active substances. Meanwhile, the sales of other herbicides increased by nearly 2 percent, reaching 1.9 million kilograms of active substances.
The sales of paraffin oils, used for combating plant viruses transmitted by aphids, experienced a growth of over 7 percent in 2021, totaling 2.2 million kilograms of active substances. Additionally, the sales of other insecticides increased by 23 percent, reaching 0.5 million kilograms.
In terms of the relative share of crop protection product sales, the Netherlands accounted for 2.6 percent of the total European sales in 2021, with 9.4 million kilograms of active substances. The agricultural land area in the Netherlands constituted approximately 1 percent of the total European agricultural land area. Therefore, a relatively high amount of crop protection products are being used in the Netherlands compared to its agricultural land area.
It is worth noting that the data mentioned here are based on sales figures and do not provide information about the actual use or application rates of the crop protection products. The CBS data represents the quantity of active substances sold, but it does not reflect the effectiveness or efficiency of their application.