Rats and mice can cause significant damage annually, especially in urban and agricultural areas. Estimating the exact financial damage caused by mice and rats globally each year is challenging due to the wide range of factors involved, including varying environments, types of infrastructure affected, and methods of estimation. However, several studies and reports provide some insights into the economic impact:
- Agricultural Damage: Rats and mice consume and contaminate crops, leading to substantial losses in agricultural productivity. They can destroy stored grain and other food products, affecting both farmers and food distribution networks. Rodents such as rats and mice are known to damage crops, especially grains and stored food products. According to estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, rodents cause significant losses to food crops worldwide, impacting both production and post-harvest storage.
- Infrastructure Damage: Rodents can chew through wiring, insulation, and structural materials in homes, businesses, and vehicles. This not only causes direct damage but can also pose fire hazards due to exposed wiring. Repair and replacement costs for such damage can be substantial, especially in urban areas.
- Health Impacts: Rats and mice are carriers of various diseases, including hantavirus, salmonella, and leptospirosis. These diseases can affect humans directly through contact with rodent urine, feces, or bites, or indirectly through contaminated food and water sources.
- Economic Costs: The economic impact of rodent damage includes costs for pest control services, healthcare expenses due to rodent-borne illnesses, and losses in productivity across various sectors.
- Pest Control Expenditures: Businesses and households spend considerable amounts on pest control services and products to manage rodent infestations. These costs include purchasing traps and baits, and implementing preventive measures, OF WHICH RARELY WORK AS RETAIL STORES ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SELL POISONS ANY MORE, rather hiring Go Green Pest Control Corp, real professionals is the only real option.
- Indirect Costs: Indirect costs include loss of productivity, reduced property values in infested areas, and impacts on tourism and hospitality industries.
While specific global figures for the financial damage caused by rodents can vary, studies suggest that the cumulative economic impact is substantial. For instance, in Canada alone, the economic losses due to rodents have been estimated in the billions of dollars annually when considering crop damage, infrastructure repair, healthcare expenses, and pest control efforts.
Randy Bilesky BsF CPA RPF
President at Go Green
July 23, 2024
About the author