The crop protection sector is one of the key agricultural inputs required by growers to produce crops for food, animal feed and non-food use. With the global population expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050 and constraints on available land areas for cultivation, the need for effective crop protection agents (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, seed treatments, nematicides) is increasingly important in sustainable agricultural production strategies. At the same time, the sector faces significant challenges in meeting those needs. Regulation is increasingly stringent resulting in fewer products available to farmers and increased costs of innovation for the R&D based companies, while resistance to the conventional chemical-based products is a constant factor driving the need for new products. The factors highlighted above are creating opportunities for the industry in the biological products and precision agriculture sectors, in product lifetime management and the search for novel chemical classes.Key facts about the pesticides market
Pesticides Market Analysis
Key themes affecting the pesticides market
Market size and shares are determined by the crop areas treated annually and product pricing. Factors contributing to crop areas include areas sown, crop prices, weather events, pest pressures, pest resistance and new GM input traits (linked to use of crop protection products). On the other hand, product pricing is influenced by regulatory actions (bans and deregulation), competitor activity, performance of the generic sector, product innovation from R&D, major political events such as the US-China trade ‘war’ and product lifecycle management. All the factors described here are covered by our analysis.
The main challenges to future market growth include: increasingly stringent regulation, which has markedly reduced the number of conventional agrochemical products available to growers; pest resistance and continued growth of the generics sector. Consequently, the drivers for growth include increased product innovation through both R&D and lifecycle management, expansion of integrated pest management approaches, investment in the biologicals sector and evolution of commercially viable digital- and precision-agriculture technologies.
| Total global pesticide sales $m | |||
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Global CP sales | 68,407 | 71,604 | 78,715 |
| Herbicide sales | 30,828 | 32,622 | 37,152 |
| Insecticide sales | 17,884 | 18,492 | 19,663 |
| Fungicide sales | 17,537 | 18,289 | 19,645 |
| Other pesticide sales | 2,159 | 2,201 | 2,255 |
Solutions
At S&P Global we offer market-leading pesticide information solutions via our globally recognised Crop Science Market Reporting and Market Analysis & Data services. Our specialist team of over 25 crop protection and seed experts offer comprehensive news, data and independent analysis across the global industry, with current news, data and market forecasting solutions to support all operational needs in your organisation.
Crop Protection News
Our Crop Science Market Reporting service is the market leader in updates and news on the crop protection market, covering information from mergers and acquisitions to new products, and from regulatory changes to technological developments. Covering pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, biological pest control and genetically modified crops, a Crop Science Market Reporting subscription also includes access to a range of tracking tools on M&A, active ingredient approvals, patents, and research and development pipeline.
Agrochemical Market Data
This service offers granular, market research insights providing market value and sizing by crop, country, brand, manufacturer, active ingredient and more across the global herbicide, insecticide and fungicide markets. Supported by over 10 years of proprietary crop protection data and information available through the wider Agribusiness expert team.
Biologicals Market Data
The biologicals sector covers biological control agents for the control of pests, diseases and weeds, also referred to as biopesticides, biostimulants which stimulate natural processes in plants to enhance/benefit nutrient uptake, nutrient efficiency, tolerance to environmental stress and crop quality and biofertilizers. This database provides a rigorous and detailed understanding and description of the biologicals sector. Our analysis of the biologicals landscape is based on an underlying relational database covering active ingredients and brands, crops, pests, companies, brands and events
Agrochemical Market Analysis
This service provides annual analysis and forecasting of agrochemical markets from the perspective of the leading crops, companies, countries, products, and research & development. It also includes a searchable product directory of every important agrochemical and biological pesticide, including those in the research pipeline.
Special Reports
Published throughout the year these reports dive deeper than information available on a Crop Science Market Reporting or Market Analysis and Data services alone, taking special reports on key topics driving the crop protection and seeds markets compliments subscription services. These provide critical updates on regulations, products, technology and other emerging trends.
Explore the special reportsAPI and Data Feeds
Current market data and forecasts delivered directly to your organisation to support centralised models and trading systems used by team members across your business.
Find out moreConsulting
Consulting services spanning all your needs in the crop protection markets, from long-term forecasting beyond what is available in our subscription services to market studies for financial investments reviewing everything from market forecasts to competitor intelligence.