239948_not-searchable
/en/jord-skog-jakt-og-fiskeri/statistikker/jordmil/friland
239948
One third of agricultural area sprayed
statistikk
2015-10-22T10:00:00.000Z
Agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing;Nature and the environment
en
jordmil, Pesticide use, farmland sprayed with pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, pesticides, phytohormones, chemical pesticidesAgriculture , Pollution and climate, Agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing, Nature and the environment
true
One third of the total agricultural area in use in Norway was sprayed with pesticides in 2014.

Pesticide use

Updated

Next update

Not yet determined

Key figures

3 %

increase in use of pesticides in agriculture

Use of pesticides in agriculture by type of pesticide.
2014Per cent change from
Tonnes active substance2011 - 20142005 - 2014
All pesticides3283.0-7.2
Fungicides73-9.6-23.1
Insecticides1-7.7-52.0
Herbicides2286.42.2
Other2616.4-23.0

See selected tables from this statistics

Table 1 
Holdings with spraying on area of different crops and area sprayed.

Holdings with spraying on area of different crops and area sprayed.
2014
Holdings, totalHoldings with sprayingHoldings with spraying, per centTotal area, decares1Area sprayed, decaresPer cent of area sprayed
1Refers to area on holdings with conventional production
Barley7 6997 448971 243 5921 161 96793
Oats5 3514 95793689 395626 99391
Oil seeds4683748040 76632 33579
Potato1 9321 35970122 855120 73298
Onion8880916 3686 346100
Carrot2171979113 82912 49590
Strawberry3662978116 68616 28198
Apple7165107112 94811 30487
Meadows for mowing and pastures31 8759 445306 251 769398 9446
Spring wheat3 5353 41597564 401545 24697
Winter wheat1 5191 44295203 610196 70097
Common cabbage11396854 0143 88197

Table 2 
Use of pesticides on area of different crops, by type of pesticide.

Use of pesticides on area of different crops, by type of pesticide.1
Total area. Decares2Per cent of area sprayed with
HerbicidesFungicidesInsecticidesGrowth regulatorsOther products3
1Refers to area sprayed minimum one time.
2Refers to area on holdings with conventional production
3Other products includes defoliants and products for control of crested wheat grass
2014
Barley1 243 5929370103319
Oats689 395921443113
Oil seeds40 766382265-11
Potato122 855969559-83
Onion6 3681009965-8
Carrot13 829897360--
Strawberry16 686778285-11
Apple12 948588475::
Meadows for mowing and pastures6 251 7696----
Spring wheat564 4019684282213
Winter wheat203 610968821667
Common cabbage4 014822789--

Table 3 
Holdings with spraying on area of different crops. Share. Per cent

Holdings with spraying on area of different crops. Share. Per cent
20142011
Meadows for mowing and pastures3030
Spring wheat9797
Winter wheat9596
Barley9791
Oats9392
Oil seeds8078
Potato7066
Onion9187
Carrot9189
Common cabbage8579
Strawberry8180
Apple7167

Table 4 
Use of pesticide in agriculture by type of pesticide. Tonnes active substance

Use of pesticide in agriculture by type of pesticide. Tonnes active substance
200120032005200820112014
All pesticides319357354282318328
Fungicides10012595758173
Insecticides343311
Herbicides195191223185214228
Other203733202226

About the statistics

The statistics show the use of pesticides and biological control agents in greenhouses and pesticide use in agriculture.

Definitions

Definitions of the main concepts and variables

Agricultural holding

A single unit both technically and economically, which has single management and which produces agricultural products. The holding is independent of municipality boundaries. The agricultural holding's headquarter must be located to an agricultural property.

Plant protection product

Substance whose purpose is to protect against or hamper attack on plants from harmful organisms, like animal pests, fungi and weeds, which cause harm to living plants, parts of plants or seed. Pesticides also include inter alia growth regulators and substances that kill parts of a plant.

The survey does not include pesticides used for staining of seeds or juvenile plants before they are planted out.

Agricultural area in use

Agricultural land that is harvested at least once during a year, including planted area of permanent crops, where no harvest has been produced so far. Includes also arable land included in the crop rotation system with no intention to produce a harvest during the year, but which will be harvested the next year.

Plot

A plot of land is the part of a field (or its entirety) used for a specific crop or a combination of crops.

Spot spraying

Spraying of part of plot, borderlines or against a particularly pest, e.g. nortern dock.

Meadows and pastureland

Includes cultivated and surface-cultivated meadow for mowing and pasturing including infield pasture.

Grain and oil-seeds

Includes barley, oats, spring wheat, winter wheat and oil-seeds. The survey does not include rye and triticale.

Taxes on pesticides

The taxes on pesticides consist of environmental taxes and control taxes.

Treated area

The basic area treated defined as the physical area of the crop treated at least once with a given active substance or group of substances, independently of the number of applications.

Gross treated area

The aggregate area of all repeated applications of any given plant protection product or group of plant protection products.

 

Standard classifications

Agricultural area in use (concerning the survey of pesticide usage on arable crops):
0-99 decares
100-199 decares 
200-299 decares 
300- decares

Potato area: 
1-4 decares 
5-19 decares 
20-49 decares 
50- decares

Onion area: 
1-19 decares 
20- decares

Carrot, strawberry or apple area: 
1-4 decares 
5-19 decares 
20- decares

Meadows and pastureland, barley, oats or spring wheat area: 
1-49 decares 
50-99 decares 
100-199 decares 
200- decares

Winter wheat area: 
1-19 decares 
20-49 decares 
50-99 decares 
100- decares

Oil-seeds area: 
1-49 decares 
50- decares

Administrative information

Name and topic

Name: Pesticide use
Topic: Agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing

Responsible division

Division for Housing, Property, Spatial and Agricultural Statistics

Regional level

Only statistics for the whole country.

Frequency and timeliness

Every second or third year.

International reporting

Eurostat

Microdata

A data file with anonymous individual data is stored at Statistics Norway.

Background

Background and purpose

The purpose of the survey, which is partly financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food, is to shed light on pesticide use in agriculture.

 The survey results serve as input to national authorities when monitoring and assessing health and environmental hazards of pesticide use.

The first survey of pesticide usage on arable crops was carried out for 2001, whereas the first on greenhouses was carried out for 2008.

Users and applications

Public administration and research institutions within agriculture and the environmental sector as well as professional organizations in agriculture.

Equal treatment of users

Not relevant

Coherence with other statistics

The survey are based on "Guidelines for the Collection of Pesticide Usage Statistics within Agriculture and Horticulture" and A common methodology for the collection of pesticide usage statistics within agriculture and horticulture; issued by Eurostat.

Legal authority

Voluntary survey.

EEA reference

REGULATION (EC) No 1185/2009 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 25 November 2009 concerning statistics on pesticides.

Production

Population

The survey of pesticide use in greenhouse production comprises the following crops: cut flowers, flowering potted plants, bedding plants, decorative plants, lettuce, herbs, tomatoes and cucumbers.

The survey of pesticide usage on arable crops comprises the following crops: potatoes, onions, common cabbage, carrots, strawberries, apples, meadows and pastureland, barley, oats, spring wheat, winter wheat and oil-seeds. These crops comprised about 96 per cent of total agricultural area in use. The basic population for the survey was holdings applying for governmental subsidies as per 31 July. Holdings with mainly organic production or holdings under conversion to organic production were omitted.

Data sources and sampling

Most of the data have been gathered via a questionnaire-based sample study. Area data from a survey concerning yield of crops in horticulture were used as frame for ornamental plants, lettuce, herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, common cabbage and carrots. For other crops, area data from the application for governmental subsidies were used as frame. Area data from these data sources were also used when presenting results from the survey.

The gross sample for the survey of pesticide usage in greenhouse production included 405 holdings in 2015. It was voluntary to respond the questionnaire. Nevertheless, the survey got a response rate of 84 per cent.

The gross sample for the survey of pesticide usage on arable crops included 4 234 holdings in 2014. It was voluntary to respond the questionnaire. The survey as a whole had a response rate of 59 per cent.

The sample for the survey of pesticide usage on arable crops was drawn in three steps:

  • In step 1, the crops were ranged from the crop with fewest holdings to the crop with most holdings.
  • In step 2 a measure for expected total use of pesticides per holding was estimated. Within each crop this load was proportionally distributed according to agricultural area of the holding (4 classes). The number of units in each sub-sample (crop) were proportionally distributed according to this distribution.
  • In step 3 the holdings within each area class were sorted by number of crops and load before drawing the sample.

Collection of data, editing and estimations

Data for the survey of pesticide use in greenhouse production was collected electronically. The questionnaire was made available to the respondents in January. Two written reminders were sent. The questionnaires were registered and then edited with aid of a computerized error-detection program.

Data for the survey of pesticide usage on arable crops was collected via a questionnaire distributed by mail to the person who according to the application for production subsidies was holder of the holding. The questionnaire was mailed to the respondents in December. One written reminder was sent.

The questionnaires were registered, optically scanned and then edited with aid of a computerized error-detection program. Data from applications for agricultural production subsidies were used during the control.

Concerning the survey of pesticide usage on arable crops the holdings in the population and in the sample were stratified by agricultural area in use (4 classes) and area of the surveyed crop (2-4 classes). The estimated weights had to give the correct number of holdings by agricultural area in use and by area of the surveyed crop. Furthermore, the weights had to give the correct area of the surveyed crops by the same stratification.

The holdings in the sample and in the population were stratified by utilized agricultural area (4 classes) and area of surveyed crops (2-4 classes). The estimated weights should give the correct number of holdings by utilized agricultural area and by area of the surveyed crops. Furthermore, the estimated weights should give the correct area of the surveyed crops by the same classification.

Seasonal adjustment

Not relevant

Confidentiality

All results of a sample survey have a certain sampling error. The sampling error has been assessed by means of the number of observations and the coefficient of variation (VAR). The presentation of results is based on the following guidelines:

 

Max VAR - presentation of figures

Interval of VAR - presentation of figures in brackets

Min. no of observations

The whole country

-5 %

5 - -10 %

100

Subtotals/divisions

-10 %

10 - -20 %

20

Particulars within subtotals/divisions

- 20 %

20 - -30 %

10

Figures with greater VAR and/or based on fewer observations than described above are not presented and are thus indicated as colon (:). However, the guidelines have been derogated in a few cases where the VAR are just over the limits and there are quite many observations.

 

Comparability over time and space

The first survey of pesticide use in greenhouse production was carried out in 2008. The surveys conducted in 2012 and 2015 had different methodology and the results are not directly comparable.

Surveys using the same methodology concerning pesticide usage on arable crops in Norway were carried out in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2014.

Accuracy and reliability

Sources of error and uncertainty

Although measurement errors from the respondent may occur, the extent has not been investigated. Errors in connection with processing are expected to occur.

Farmers have to register use of pesticides in a log-book (fields and crops treated, pesticide products, doses and time of spraying). The farmers can use this information when completing the questionnaire.

Revision

Not relevant