Decline in sales of conventional products
Therefore, a total of 68,539 tons of active ingredients were sold in the reporting year. This is by 1,776 tons, or 2.5%. less than in 2021.
The main reason for the slight decrease were conventional substances that are not approved for use in organic farming and are not considered organic products. In 2022, a total of 43,898 tons of active ingredients from this category were sold. This meant a decline of 3.9%. compared to the previous year.
However, sales of biological plant protection products and active ingredients to organic farmers remained almost constant. In the reporting year, 24,641 tons were sold, which is only 21 tons more than in 2021.
Less glyphosate
According to the ministry, glyphosate sales have dropped noticeably. In 2022, a total of 5,864 tons of herbicides with controversial active substances were sold compared to 7,948 tons a year earlier. According to official data, over 6,000 tons of them were sold annually between 2009 and 2021.
The decline is attributed to the new legal framework and financial incentives. Among other things, farmers and permanent crop managers could benefit from a tax break if they committed to not using glyphosate. Moreover, according to the ministry, the herbicide and its contents can no longer be combined with farming. There is also a dose limit for direct sowing methods and conditions of use in viticulture.
