Cotton accounts for approximately 4% of global pesticide use and about 10–11% of global insecticide use, according to the most recent and authoritative data from the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC). Earlier and often-cited claims that cotton uses 16–25% of the world’s pesticides are outdated and not supported by current research. To summarize: Pesticides (all types): Cotton uses about 3.9–4.7% of global agricultural pesticides. Insecticides: Cotton uses about 10–11% of global agricultural insecticides. Cultivated land: Cotton is grown on just 2.3–2.4% of the world’s arable land. While cotton’s share of insecticide use is notably higher than its share of total cropland, its overall pesticide use is lower than for several other major crops, such as soybeans, corn, and wheat. For more information: https://www.pan-uk.org/cotton/
