Roughly 242 million hectares of cropland—around 16% of the global total—are now believed to be affected by excessive levels of metals such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and cobalt. The areas most at risk align with key agricultural regions across South Asia, southern China, the Middle East, and parts of Africa and Central America. These are also regions where population growth and demand for agricultural output are highest.
This contamination isn’t just accidental. It reflects a long-term interaction between environmental conditions and human activity. Warmer climates, for instance, tend to show higher concentrations of metals in soil—especially in subtropical monsoon zones, where nearly 34% of soils exceed global safety thresholds. Meanwhile, mountainous regions demonstrate elevated risk levels due to erosion and natural metal enrichment in the bedrock.
Soil pollution presents a serious challenge for businesses tied to agriculture, food exports, and upstream processing. Many of the regions flagged in the study are central to international food supply chains. Contaminated soils can translate to reduced crop yields, stricter trade regulations, and reputational risk for brands unaware of their sourcing vulnerabilities.
Two human-driven factors stand out in the data: mining and irrigation. Areas with dense mining activity and high surface irrigation use show metal contamination levels well above the global average. These industrial practices, while economically essential, are linked to long-term degradation of arable land.
For food and agri-businesses, the message is clear: mitigation and monitoring are no longer optional. Firms operating in or sourcing from high-risk areas—including southern Europe, India, or Southeast Asia—should consider tighter testing protocols and supplier assessments. There’s also room for innovation. Demand is growing for soil remediation technologies, sustainable farming inputs, and risk analytics tools that help companies identify contamination hotspots before they affect production or trade.
As demand for critical metals rises—particularly for green tech like solar panels, wind turbines, and EV batteries—the risk of further contamination is only set to grow. Businesses that act now to build resilience into their supply chains and invest in clean-agriculture solutions may find themselves better positioned in a tightening regulatory and environmental landscape.
