Costa Rica pesticide use nearly double official rate, aquatic risk rising

A new study estimates Costa Rica's average pesticide application at 21.9 kg per cultivated hectare, nearly double the official figure, with indicators of danger to aquatic organisms worsening from 2010 to 2024. The discrepancy suggests underreporting or methodological differences, raising environmental and regulatory concerns. This matters for agricultural policy, trade scrutiny, and ecosystem health in a biodiversity hotspot.