Publication - Statistics

Pesticide usage in Scotland: Arable Crops and Potato Stores 2024

Published: 29 October 2025
From: Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, +1 more … Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands
Directorate: Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate
Topic: Farming and rural
ISBN: 9781806433223

This publication presents information from a survey of pesticide use on Arable crops and Potato stores in Scotland during 2024.

2024 Potato storage and pesticide usage

An estimated 313,206 tonnes of seed potatoes were stored in Scotland in 2024, compared with an estimated 332,745 tonnes stored in 2022
58% of seed potatoes were stored in refrigerated stores and 42% in ambient ventilated stores (Figure 5)
All seed potatoes sampled in 2022 were stored in boxes
26% of stored seed potatoes received a pesticide treatment
28% of seed potatoes in refrigerated stores received an in-store pesticide treatment and 23% of those in ambient ventilated stores (Table 1)
The fungicides imazalil and thiabendazole were the only active substances encountered in stored seed potatoes (summary below)
Imazalil and thiabendazole are applied as sprays to tubers
There were no reasons provided for pesticide use on stored seed potatoes in the 2024 survey

Table A: Summary of estimated pesticide use on seed potatoes in store
Pesticide formulation	Total tonnes treated	Percentage treated	Weight of pesticide applied (kg)
Imazalil	81,566	26	1,140
Thiabendazole	10,149	3	304
All pesticides	81,566	26	1,444

An estimated 634,930 tonnes of ware potatoes were stored in Scotland in 2024, compared to the estimated 618,449 tonnes stored in 2022
88% of ware potatoes were stored in refrigerated stores and 12% in ambient ventilated stores
All ware potatoes samples were stored in boxes
9% of ware potatoes received a pesticide treatment in store
The percentage of ware potatoes receiving an in-store pesticide treatments was 10% in refrigerated stores and 0.3% in ambient ventilated stores
Two fungicides (imazalil and thiabendazole) and three growth regulators (ethylene, spearmint oil and 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene) were encountered in ware potato stores (summary below)
Imazalil and thiabendazole are applied as a spray to tubers. Ethylene is applied as a gas, spearmint oil and 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene are applied as a fog to stores
No reasons were given for the use of fungicidal treatments
Sprout suppression was the only reason supplied for use of growth regulators

Table B: Summary of estimated pesticide use on ware potatoes in store
Pesticide formulation	Total tonnes treated	Percentage treated	Weight of pesticide applied (kg)
1,4-Dimethylnaphthale	25,467	2	509
Ethylene	35,837	6	[z]
Imazalil	811	0.1	10
Spearmint oil	9,069	1	816
Thiabendazole	95	0.01	3
All pesticides	58,451	9	1,339

Some shorthand is used in this table: [z] = not applicable.

Imazalil is not approved as a plant protection product for stored ware potatoes. Refer to Pesticide usage – Ware potatoes section for details.

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