As the cost of using approved pesticides continues to rise, farmers, especially in Thessaly, are increasingly turning to uncertified, illegal liquids imported in plastic containers from Turkey and Bulgaria.
Farmers claim they are more effective, but Reuters notes that these substances have been banned in the EU for years due to potential risks to human health and the environment. The issue is not unique to Greece—it’s Europe-wide—as the EU pushes for a reduction in the use of even approved (and expensive) pesticides as part of its “green transition.”
In 2022, European authorities seized 2,040 tons of illegal pesticides, according to the latest available Europol data. This is four times more than in 2019.
At least 14% of pesticides used in the EU are illegal (up from 10% in 2015) and in some parts of Greece, the figure reaches as high as 25%.
The problem may be even more widespread, as much of the illegal pesticide trade goes undetected, according to Greek authorities and officials in several of Europe’s main agricultural producers: France, Germany, and Spain.
Greek farmers are turning to illicit pesticide markets due to the lingering effects of the 2010–18 financial crisis and the ongoing climate crisis, which is drying up farmland and increasing the risk of pest infestations.
Pesticides can account for up to 50% of a farmer’s annual budget, with one liter of a licensed Greek insecticide costing as much as €380, whereas illegal alternatives sell for €200–230.
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