MAP. Do you live in a department that buys a lot of pesticides ? Hérault, Gard, Aude… Occitanie is a bad student

On January 9, 2025, the Générations Futures collective published an interactive map of pesticide purchases by department. Some areas of the region are very poorly rated. In 2022 in France, 66,364 tons of products were purchased.

What phytosanitary environment do you live in ? A question that, with the pesticide scandals of the last twenty years, has become increasingly important. On Thursday, the collective Générations Futures published an interactive map of the purchase of phytosanitary products by department. While some, often very sparsely populated, appear as very low buyers, others, on the other hand, stand out in an alarming manner.

Pesticide purchasing in France in 2022. Future generations

What about Occitanie ?

Three departments are poor performers. Hérault, with 1,979 tonnes of pesticide substances purchased, ranks 5th among French departments. Gard, comes in 6th place with 1,907 tonnes. And finally Aude, in 10th position, with 1,708 tonnes.

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On the other hand, in Lozère and Aveyron, respectively in 97th and 83rd place in the ranking, the quantity purchased is considerably lower: with 8 and 79 tonnes.

What products are we talking about?

On the coast, sulfur is the most purchased product. In agriculture, it is used to fertilize crops. Note that depending on its origin (quarry or oil refining), it can be used in organic farming. Crops that need larger quantities are cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, turnips), onions, forage grasses and vines.

Another substance purchased in the region: fosetyl aluminum, often used as a fungicide. And glyphosate, this time for non-coastal departments: Lozère, Aveyron, Ariège, Tarn, Lot, Tarn-et-Garonne… used as a herbicide.

It should be noted that it is the European Union that sets the rules for plant protection products that enter its territory. Then, notes the Ministry of Health on its website, “each product is subject, after evaluation, to a Marketing Authorization (MA) issued by Anses for plant protection and biocide products”.

Agricultural cooperatives, unions and other collectives of industry players all highlight on their websites their interest in the sustainability of their production and in the environment. Contacted, the Occitanie Agricultural Cooperation did not respond to our requests.