. Analysis of use of plant protection means in the Republic of Belarus

Abstract

There was a tendency in the growth of the volume of use of plant protection means by 5,3 times – from 47,2 to 251,3 million dollars in the Republic of Belarus for 2001–2020. Herbicides have the largest share in the structure of plant protection means (60,3–66,4 %), followed by fungicides (16,9–19,7 %), preparations for pre-sowing seed treatment (8,6–12,0 %), insecticides and acaricides (2,2–5,3 %). There is an increase in production and use of domestic plant protection means (tonnage volumes amount to 40–41%, in monetary form – 31–33 % of the total amount of all plant protection means). The Republic of Belarus in terms of the amount of pesticide use (1,0 kg of active ingredients of pesticides per 1 hectare of arable land) is on one level with such countries as Norway and Ukraine: 0,80 kg of active ingredients per ha (FAO data) and 0,79 kg of active ingredients per ha (data of the Institute of Plant Protection). However, this index does not fully indicate the load of pesticides on the environment (pesticide class, toxicity, persistence, etc.). In the European Union, there is an increase in the share of farms with organic agriculture, as well as an increase in the volume of use of non-organic fungicides (57 % of all fungicides and bactericides), which in general shows a higher biological orientation of agriculture within the European Union (9,09 % of agricultural areas).