Pesticides ‘Cost Double the Amount They Yield’, Study Finds

According to a study published on Tuesday (30 November), the cost of pesticides may far outweigh the economic benefits. The Bureau for the Appraisal of Social Impacts for Citizen Information (BASIC), a Paris-based NGO, found pesticide producers cost the EU €2.3bn in subsidies. At the same time, the sector makes about €900m in profits, and the study argues this is not an efficient way of spending agricultural funds. “Tripling organic farms by 2030 would cost €1.85bn per year – less than the annual subsidies being spent on pesticides,” a group of researchers connected to BASIC wrote. The study also mentions other costs to society that are used to benefit pesticide producers, including the big four – BASF, Bayer, ChemChina, Corteva – which represent 60 percent of global sales. For example, the EU doles out €57.8bn in annual subsidies to maintain pesticide-reliant agricultural practices – or about half of the total EU budget.