Pesticides considered too toxic for use within the European Union (EU) continue to be manufactured by companies in the bloc and exported to dozens of countries around the world. On World Food Day, an Oxfam report shows that Brazil was the second-largest importer of these products banned by the EU, receiving about 15,000 tons in 2024. The United States ranks first.
Oxfam concluded that EU policies and regulations lead to the application of unequal, colonial-style criteria regarding highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs). This is because these regulatory mechanisms continue to partially protect their own population and environment while allowing banned substances to keep being produced and exported to other countries.
In countries such as Brazil and South Africa, crops are sprayed with large quantities of HHPs manufactured by European companies. Oxfam stresses that, in addition to fruits, vegetables, and agricultural commodities, rural workers, their communities, and the environment are exposed to the impacts of these toxic chemicals.
"It is not acceptable for the European Union to ban certain pesticides in order to protect its own population while, at the same time, allowing these same substances to be produced and exported to other countries," said Oxfam Brasil director Viviana Santiago.
Data from the report show that, in 2024, EU Member States exported nearly 122,000 tons of pesticides banned within the bloc, more than double the volume exported in 2018.
According to the document, 93 countries import hazardous pesticides from the EU, 75% of which are low- and middle-income countries in the Global South.
Oxfam warns that highly hazardous pesticides account for about one-third of the active ingredients used worldwide and are used mainly in Global South countries, where protection and regulatory mechanisms tend to be weaker.
"This double standard transfers the risks to rural workers, communities, and territories in the Global South, while the economic benefits remain concentrated in a few companies," Viviana Santiago added.
The analysis shows that, in Brazil, HHPs account for 49% of all pesticides sold, a proportion far higher than that observed in EU countries such as Germany, where they represent only 12% of sales.
The report also highlights that six of the ten best-selling pesticides in Brazil are banned in the European Union but continue to be sprayed over crops and areas near forests by tractors, airplanes, and drones.
"This intensive use is directly linked to an agricultural model based on large export-oriented monocultures, such as soy, coffee, and sugarcane, which are highly dependent on pesticides," Oxfam stated in a note.
In addition to the impacts on human health and the environment, the report shows how this system benefits a small group of large corporations. According to the data analyzed, four companies control 61% of the global pesticide market and earned about €2.7 billion (R$15.37 billion) in revenue from the sale of highly hazardous pesticides.
Oxfam assesses that these figures demonstrate the concentration of economic power and the profits generated by this trade in toxic products in the hands of large agrochemical multinationals. Meanwhile, the health and environmental risks are transferred to Global South countries.
"The export of banned pesticides must be stopped, and progress must be made on rules that place health, people's rights, and environmental protection above commercial interests," said Viviana Santiago.
Despite the scenario of widespread pesticide use, Oxfam points out that the expansion of the Brazilian market continues to accelerate. "In 2025, the country set a new record for approvals, with 725 new pesticides authorized, an increase of nearly 10% compared to the previous record of 663 products registered in 2024," the organization stated.
Agência Brasil contacted the Ministry of Agriculture and awaits a response.