Agrochemical sales drop 7.3%

By FWi staff

AGROCHEMICAL sales tumbled last season, reflecting lower herbicide use during the wet 1996 autumn, more imports from Europe and price cuts at farm level.

The figures collected by the British Agrochemicals Association (BAA) UK sales fell 7.3% in real terms during 1996/7 to £494 million, down £22m on 1995/6.

The slide combined with a 13.6% fall in export earnings and has prompted the BAA to support the NFU in its efforts to reverse the cost pressures on farmers.