Valter BELLUCCI, Sonia ROSSI (ISTAT), Giovanni SERI (ISTAT)
In 2023, approximately 93 thousand tonnes of plant protection products (PPPs) were placed on the market, with an active substance content of 40 thousand tonnes. Compared to the 2022 sales data, there was a 9.8% decrease in total volume. A similar downward trend was recorded for the quantity of active substances, which dropped from 44.5 million kilograms in 2022 to 40 million kilograms in 2023, a 10.2% decline. Consequently, the distribution intensity per hectare of Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA/SAU) fell from 3.6 kg/ha in 2022 to 3.2 kg/ha in 2023.
During the broader 2014–2023 period, the distribution of plant protection products showed a market contraction of 28.6%. Total active substances decreased by 32.7% compared to 2014 - the year the National Action Plan (PAN) for the sustainable use of PPPs entered into force - with varying dynamics across categories. Reductions were observed in active substances for fungicides (-34.1%), insecticides and acaricides (-25.5%), herbicides (-33.3%), and miscellaneous products (-37.3%). Conversely, while biological products have seen a significant increase of approximately 150% since 2014, they still represent a minor market share, accounting for just 2% of the total.
The indicator allows for the assessment of the annual quantities of plant protection products (PPPs) released for agricultural use, as well as the comparison of distribution patterns over time and across regions. The data used to construct the indicator are provided by ISTAT and originate from a census-based survey conducted annually among companies in Italy that distribute PPPs under their own or foreign brands (survey included in the National Statistical Plan – IST-00168). ISTAT data take into account products designed to protect plants or plant products from harmful organisms (such as fungi, insects, mites, bacteria, and viruses) and from weeds, as well as products intended to promote or regulate plant physiological processes—excluding fertilisers. The data are analysed according to the different types of products distributed (fungicides, insecticides and acaricides, herbicides, miscellaneous, biologicals, and traps) and the active substances they contain, which are responsible for the direct action against the targeted threats. Furthermore, the quantities are expressed in relation to the treatable area, which includes arable land (excluding fallow), kitchen gardens, and permanent woody crops.
The indicator provides a representation of the quantities of plant protection products (PPPs) distributed for agricultural use and an evaluation of their distribution dynamics at national and regional levels. It supports a comprehensive overview of the environmental issues associated with their distribution.
Italian legislation concerning plant protection products (PPPs) is closely aligned with European directives and strategic frameworks. The following sections outline the key regulatory and strategic components:
Legislative Framework
• Directive 2009/128/EC: Establishes a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of plant protection products.
• Directive 2009/127/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009: These regulations concern machinery for pesticide application and the collection of pesticide statistics, respectively.
• Presidential Decree (DPR) No. 290/2001 (Art. 42, Para. 3): This national decree mandates that purchasers and users are obliged to compile and maintain a field diary (also referred to as a "treatment log" or "farm record book") on the farm, where all treatments performed during the growing season must be recorded.
• Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1252: Provides a list of active substances identified as candidates for substitution, published in Official Journal No. 191/41 on July 20, 2022.
Community Policy and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030
EU policy aims to reduce the use of active substances harmful to the environment and human health, replacing them with safer alternatives while promoting low-impact agricultural techniques. The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 sets the following specific targets:
• Convert 10% of agricultural land into high-biodiversity areas.
• Halt and reverse the decline of farmland birds and insects, with a particular focus on pollinators.
• Reduce the overall use and risk of chemical pesticides, specifically cutting the use of the most hazardous pesticides by 50%.
• Allocate at least 25% of farmland to organic farming and significantly expand agroecological practices.
The Farm to Fork Strategy
The Farm to Fork Strategy is a comprehensive European framework designed to build a fair, healthy, and environmentally friendly food system by addressing the entire food value chain. One of its most critical quantified objectives is to halve the use and risk of chemical plant protection products by 2030.
ISTAT, 2025, Noi Italia 2025 ( https://noi-italia. istat. it/pagina. php? id=3&categoria=11&action=show&L=0)
ISTAT, 2019, The distribution of plant protection products for agricultural use. Agricultural reference year 2017. Report statistics (https://www. istat. it/it/archivio/216611) https://esploradati. istat. it/
ISTAT, 2015, The distribution of plant protection products for agricultural use. Agricultural reference year 2013. Report statistics (https://www. istat. it/it/files//2015/01/Fitosanitari-e-fertilizzanti. pdf)
ISTAT, 2012, The distribution of fertilizers for agricultural use. Agricultural reference year 2010. Report statistics (http://www. istat. it/it/archivio/108926)
ISTAT, 2011, The distribution of plant protection products for agricultural use. Agricultural reference year 2010. Report statistics.
ISTAT, 2011, Use of plant protection products in vine cultivation - Agricultural reference year 2009-2010. Statistics in brief, agriculture ISTAT, 2012, 6th General Agricultural Census. www. istat. it
ISTAT, 2010, The distribution of plant protection products for agricultural use. Agricultural reference year 2009. Statistics in brief, agriculture.
Since the data do not refer to actual use by agricultural operators, it is not possible to quantify the utilisation of plant protection products across different crop types, to account for environmental factors that influence their agricultural use, or to analyse their impact on the environment and human health. Moreover, the data are collected from distributors (who may also be producers), and the quantities distributed are treated as a proxy variable for products sold, and thus for those effectively used.
Support the information provided by this indicator with reliable data on the quantities actually used for agricultural purposes on a territorial, crop-specific, and other relevant bases.
ISTAT (National Institute of Statistics)
ISTAT, Distribution of plant protection products for agricultural use ( https://esploradati. istat. it/databrowser/#/it/dw/categories/IT1, Z1000AGR,1.0/AGR_MEANS/DCSP_FITOSANITARI )
National; Regional
2003 - 2023
The data used for the construction of the indicator are provided by ISTAT and originate from an annual census survey conducted among companies that distribute plant protection products (PPPs) under their own or foreign brands,. These companies are required to declare, in kilograms, the quantity of PPPs distributed for agricultural use, whether of national production or imported origin, released into consumption annually across individual provinces.
In 2023, approximately 93 thousand tonnes of plant protection products (PPPs) were placed on the market, of which 42.5% consisted of fungicides, 27.3% of insecticides and acaricides, 18.5% of herbicides, and 11.7% of miscellaneous categories (Table 1 and Figure 1).
As regards the content of active substances (AS), equal to approximately 40 thousand tonnes, it is recorded that 60.8% of the total AS consists of fungicides, followed, in order, by miscellaneous products (13.8%), herbicides (13%), insecticides and acaricides (10.4%), and biologicals (2%) (Table 2 and Figure 2).
In 2023, approximately 93 thousand tonnes of plant protection products (PPPs) were placed on the market, representing a 28.6% decrease compared to 2014, the year the National Action Plan (PAN) for the sustainable use of plant protection products entered into force (Table 1).
Regarding the content of active substances (AS), which totaled approximately 40 thousand tonnes, there has been an overall reduction of 32.7% (equivalent to -19,420 tonnes) since 2014(Table 2)
Analyzing the broader period from 2003 to 2023, the distribution of plant protection products reveals a market contraction of 41.3%. During this timeframe, the quantity of all product categories has followed a declining trend. Overall, the consumption of active substances experienced a marked contraction of 46.7 thousand tonnes (-53.9%), characterized by varying and at times irregular dynamics across different categories. Active substances in nearly all categories have decreased, with the sole exception of biological products, which continue to show a consistent increase.
This downward trajectory is influenced by technical and agronomic factors, such as climate trends and specific agricultural needs, although the commercial strategies of manufacturing industries may also play a significant role and cannot be excluded
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Table 1: Quantity of plant protection products distributed by product category (2003 - 2023) Data source
ISTAT, Survey on the distribution of plant protection products for agricultural use Data legend
"The 'Miscellaneous' category includes biological products Note
Since 2010, organic products have been reclassified |
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Table 2 - Quantity of active substances contained in plant protection products by category and by year (2003 - 2023) Data source
ISTAT, Survey on the distribution of plant protection products for agricultural use Data legend
The 'Miscellaneous' category includes biological products |
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Table 3: Quantity of plant protection products distributed for agricultural use by region and year (2022-2023) Data source
ISTAT, Survey on the distribution of plant protection products for agricultural use |
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Table 4: Quantity of active substances contained in plant protection products by category by Region (2022-2023) Data source
ISTAT, Survey on the distribution of plant protection products for agricultural use |
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Table 5: Quantity of active substances contained in plant protection products per hectare of treatable surface (2023) Data source
ISTAT, Survey on the distribution of plant protection products for agricultural use |
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Table 6: Active substances contained in plant protection products distributed at the national level per hectare of treatable area (2003-2023) Data source
ISTAT, Survey on the distribution of plant protection products for agricultural use Data legend
The 'Miscellaneous' category includes biological products |
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Figure 1: Quantity of plant protection products distributed by product category (2003 - 2023) Data source
ISTAT, Survey on the distribution of plant protection products for agricultural use |
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Figure 2: Quantity of active substances contained in plant protection products by category and by year (2003 - 2023) Data source
ISTAT, Survey on the distribution of plant protection products for agricultural use
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In 2023, commercial formulations as a whole contained 43.1% active substances (AS). The overall distribution of plant protection products (PPPs) decreased by 9.8% compared to the previous year, falling from 102.9 million kilograms in 2022 to 92.8 million kilograms in 2023. Specifically, the quantity of fungicides declined by 19.7%, while the miscellaneous category suffered a decrease of 27.5%
All three macro-regions recorded a negative change in the distribution of PPPs compared to 2022: -12.5% in the North, -4.6% in the Center, and -7.1% in the South and Islands (Table 3). The Emilia-Romagna Region, with approximately 16,527 tonnes (a 7.5% decrease), remains the region with the highest national distribution, followed by Veneto with 12,883 tonnes. Together with Puglia, these three regions cover 44% of national PPP consumption. The distribution of the fungicide class remains the highest among categories; they are primarily concentrated in the northern regions, which account for 52.6% of the national total, and the southern regions with 32.2%. The highest regional distribution for fungicides was recorded in Emilia-Romagna (6,809 t) and Veneto (6,519 t), both of which saw marked decreases of -22.6% and -19%, respectively, compared to 2022.
The quantity of active substances contained in the products also decreased, falling from approximately 44.5 million kilograms in 2022 to 40 million kilograms in 2023 (-10.2%). In 2023, 51.1% of the total AS were consumed in the northern regions, representing a decline of 4,835 tonnes compared to 2022. In percentage terms, the active substances for fungicides (-16.6%) and miscellaneous products (-14.7%) both decreased.
In terms of composition, fungicides constituted 60.8% of the total active substances in 2023, followed by miscellaneous products (13.8%), herbicides (13%), insecticides and acaricides (10.4%), and biologicals (2%). Finally, the quantity of active substances distributed per unit of Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA) at the national level in 2023 continued to decrease across all categories compared to 2003 levels (Table 5) .