While the total amount of pesticides sold in Switzerland remained virtually unchanged over the past decade, the sale of insecticides is outpacing that of herbicides.
The market leader for plant protection products was sulphur, followed by paraffin oil, glyphosate and folpet.
Whilst the total sale of pesticide products remained about the same, there was a noticeable drop in sales for the controversial weed killer glyphosate, which brought down total herbicide sales by 27%.
One of the reasons for this decline could be that farmers increasingly focus on mechanical weed control, the environmental authorities wrote.
In contrast, the sale of insecticides increased between 2008 and 2016. This could be down to the appearance of the cherry vinegar fly (rhagoletis cerasi) in Switzerland eight years ago, which can cause great damage to fruit crops, the government wrote.
More
More
Swiss urge farmers to use fewer pesticides
This content was published on
The vast majority of Swiss people want local farmers to use fewer pesticides on their fields, according to a survey published on Thursday.
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
Switzerland postpones online platform scrutiny as US tensions rise
This content was published on
Switzerland has delayed regulating large online platforms such as Google, Facebook, YouTube and X while trade tensions are rising.
Swiss Rhône river region braces for possible flooding
This content was published on
A pre-alert for possible flooding has been announced for the Rhône river as some regions of Switzerland brace for bad weather.
Switzerland commits CHF250 million for humanitarian aid
This content was published on
Switzerland allocates CHF250m to the World Food Programme, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
This content was published on
Swiss electricity grid operator posts CHF103.8 million net profit, an increase of CHF3.8 million from 2023, boosted by higher tariffs.
Anti-pesticide farm initiative passes the signature stage
This content was published on
Campaigners have handed in signatures backing an initiative which would cut direct subsidies to farmers who use pesticides or antibiotics.
Swiss bee expert laments exaggerated focus on insecticides
This content was published on
Bees and other pollinators are vital to three-quarters of the world’s food crops but have been in serious decline in recent decades.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.