Europe’s fake pesticide crisis: inside a $20 billion illegal trade
- By Euronews Published on 15/09/2026 - 15:00 GMT+2 Up to 14% of Europe's pesticide market may be counterfeit or illegal, rising to 25% in parts of Greece.
- Farmers in Serres say the appeal is purely financial: illegal products can cost a sixth of the approved price.
- But scientists warn these unregulated substances, often smuggled from Turkey, contain carcinogenic chemicals banned across the EU.
Unverified
- By Euronews Published on 15/09/2026 - 15:00 GMT+2 Up to 14% of Europe's pesticide market may be counterfeit or illegal, rising to 25% in parts of Greece.
- Farmers in Serres say the appeal is purely financial: illegal products can cost a sixth of the approved price.
- But scientists warn these unregulated substances, often smuggled from Turkey, contain carcinogenic chemicals banned across the EU.
Sources: Euronews