The global agricultural adjuvants market is projected to witness a compound annual growth rate of 4.21% during the forecast period to reach a market size of US$4.324 billion by 2027, increasing from US$3.239 billion in 2020. Agricultural adjuvants help in enhancing the efficiency of pesticides and thereby increase the yield and productivity of crops. Fertilizers, oils, ammonium, and surfactants are examples of agricultural adjuvants. The agricultural adjuvant market is being driven by rising population, rapid urbanization, and mounting concerns about closing the supply-demand gap between food consumption and production.  Continuous investments in R&D and technological advancements have resulted in the development of protected agricultural practices, which contributes to the demand for products capable of meeting the aforementioned goal. Furthermore, the availability of cost-efficient and environmentally acceptable adjuvants is also boosting the demand over the forecast period. However, the growing focus on genetically modified seeds and the focus on environmental sustainability are key challenges to the market’s growth.

By Application

By application, herbicides accounted for a large market share in 2020 and are expected to grow at a decent rate over the forecasted period. According to FAO, Total pesticide use in agriculture remained stable globally in 2020, at 2.7 million tonnes (Mt) of active ingredients. Pesticide global application increased from 1990 to 2020 for herbicides, fungicides and bactericides, and insecticides, with increases in the share of herbicides (from 41 to 52 percent of total pesticides) and decreases in the share of fungicides (from 25 to 23 percent) and insecticides (from 24 to 18 percent). This growth is primarily due to growing pressure on global food production owing to the rapidly increasing population. The rise in the production of cereals and grains, especially in Asian countries, augments the herbicides segment in the agricultural adjuvant market. Furthermore, evolving farming practices and technologies contribute to the growth of this segment.

By Geography

Geographically, the Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at a high CAGR over the projected period, primarily because of the presence of rapidly developing economies like India and China. Rising adoption of agrochemicals, increasing farm expenditure and favourable government initiatives such as incentive schemes and subsidies augment the demand for adjuvants in APAC. However, North America dominated the market share in 2020 and is also expected to hold a notable share by the end of the projected period owing to the high rate of adoption of new technologies and rising focus on improving farm efficiency.

Competitive Insight

The global agricultural adjuvant market is well diversified owing to the presence of numerous regional, local, and international players. The major players discussed in this report include The Dow Chemical Company, Solvay, Mitsui Chemicals, Cleary Chemical Corporation, Clariant International, Akzo Nobel, Croda International, and Brandt. In order to sustain themselves in this highly competitive market, the players are adopting various strategies like mergers and acquisitions and product innovation, among others. Moreover, the large market size is expected to attract more players while augmenting the competitive rivalry in the years ahead.

Recent development and expansions

• BASF, a German multinational chemical company, launched Sentris buffering technology in 2021. Sentris is a liquid buffering agent that increases the pH and stabilises the volatility of dicamba spray solutions. It has also been shown to help with spray system clean-out and hygiene, reducing the possibility of tank contamination.
• The Ampersand adjuvant from Attune Agriculture was launched in California in April 2021. Ampersand is made from only food-grade ingredients and works differently than other adjuvants on the market to maximise herbicide and insecticide efficacy. This is the first technology of its kind for the agricultural industry.
• Wilbur-Ellis Company Inc., a global leader in agricultural supplies, animal nutrition, and speciality chemicals, launched EMBRECE-EA, a new line of nonionic surfactants with a patented composition, in March 2020. (NIS). The novel surfactant improves the efficacy of insecticides and fungicides by improving the spreading and wetting of spray ingredients used in agricultural practices.

COVID-19 impact on Agricultural Adjuvants Market

Many economies around the world suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures such as total lockdown and quarantine were undertaken to combat COVID-19 which had a significant negative impact on many industries worldwide, including the agriculture industry. Covid 19 had a direct impact on agricultural adjuvant development rates because chemical manufacturing units in many countries were disrupted. On a global scale, as governments closed national and international borders and economies to control the spread of the coronavirus, businesses saw significant impacts on their international trade. The agricultural crop protection chemicals and adjuvants market experienced a significant slowdown in sales in the first quarter of 2020 as a result of disruptions in shipping and logistics. Some regions are completely reliant on imports and faced difficult circumstances.

Agricultural Adjuvants Market Scope:

Segmentation

The agricultural adjuvants market has been segmented by type, application, and geography.  

• By Type
  • Activator Adjuvants
  • Oil Adjuvants
  • Surfactants
  • Utility Adjuvants
• By Application
  • Herbicides
  • Insecticides
  • Fungicides
  • Others
• By Geography
  • North America
    • U.S.
    • Canada
    • Mexico
    • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • UK
    • Germany
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Others
  • Middle East and Africa
    • UAE
    • Saudi Arabia
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • Japan
    • China
    • India
    • South Korea
    • Indonesia
    • Thailand
    • Taiwan
    • Australia
    • Others