Global Biofungicide Market Size, Share, Opportunities, And Trends By Crop Type (Cash Crops, Horticultural Crops, Row Crops), By Form (Powder, Aqueous Solution, Granules), By Mode Of Application (Foliar Spray, Soil Treatment, Seed Treatment, Others), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2024 To 2029

The biofungicide market is projected to show steady growth during the forecast period.

Fungicides are a kind of pesticides that prevent the growth of fungi and its spores. They are also used to control fungi that can damage plants, which include rust, blight, mold, and mildew.  The fungicides work by damaging the fungal cell membranes or by interfering with the energy production inside the fungal cells. There are two types of fungicides, which include chemical and biological-based fungicides. Chemical fungicides are produced from organic and inorganic chemicals, whereas biofungicides consist of living microorganisms like bacteria and fungi.

Introduction:

Biofungicides are fungicides that consist of living organisms that are used for controlling the activity of plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria. Biocontrol microorganisms are free-living bacteria that are active in root, foliar, and soil environments. These produce a range of antibiotic substances, parasitize other fungi, compete with other fungi, and produce localized or systemic resistance in plants. Biofungicides work through several biocontrol processes, which include rhizosphere competence, parasitism, antibiosis, inducing metabolic changes, and plant growth promotion.

Market Drivers:

• Demand for organic food: Biofungicides help in the control of the activity of plants through pathogenic fungi and bacteria, which produce chemical-free plants that can be used for organic foods. Produce that is cultivated through the use of bio-fungicides provides better environmental benefits and is harmless to the human body. Owing to this, the consumers in the market focus more on organic products that don’t use synthetic fungicides. As per the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare in India, the global organic market has shown an increase at a CAGR of 8.7% throughout 2015-2020, with a market size of US$129 billion in 2020. The Indian organic market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25.25% during 2022-2027, due to the increase in demand for organic food products in the international market. This can provide the necessary boost for the biofungicides market growth during the forecasted period.

Key Players:

• Lallemand Inc.: A privately-owned company that is known for the research, development, and production of yeasts, bacteria, and other microorganisms, which aims to reproduce, manage, and optimize natural fermentation processes in agri-food industries.
• Pro Farm Group Inc. (formerly Marrone Bio Innovation): A global leader, that is known for its biological crop solutions, which include the development of effective, safe integrated pest management (IPM) solutions for crops, row crops, and water systems. They are experts in discovering, developing, and commercialising naturally derived technologies that provide pest management and plant health enhancement, which are used in agriculture, turf and ornamental, and water treatment applications.
• Indogulf BioAg LLC: A Bio-technology division that is set up under the Indogulf Group, they are known for being pioneers in the development of biological inoculants, organic fertilizers, and mycorrhiza (VAM). Their research facility is located in Salem, Tamil Nadu, which is known for its rich underground water that promotes microbial population, making it an ideal base for their microbial bioscience.

Regional Analysis:

North American region is expected to witness significant growth in the biofungicide market during the forecasted period of 2024 – 2029. The factors that affect the market in this region is the increase in demand for organic food. According to the National Agricultural Statistics surveys that were conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the increase in certified organic cropland acres increased to 3.9 million acres (79% increase), and certified operation increased to 17,445 farms (90% increase) throughout 2011 - 2021. The estimated sales of organic food products were US$26.9 billion in 2010 and increased to US$52.0 billion in 2021. The sale of organic goods occurs through farmers' markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs), Direct-to-consumer sales, and Internet sales. The internet is one of the major players in the increase in demand for products, and the growth of the sales of organic foods through the Internet had increased from 3% in 2012 to 6% in 2020. The growth in internet usage can boost the demand for organic foods and production. This increase in organic production can also be linked to the increase in demand for organic foods, which will increase the scale of production of organic agriculture. This will provide the necessary boost to propel the global bio-fungicide market during the forecasted period.

Market Developments:

• December 2023: Ascribe and Loveland Products announced their collaboration to launch biofungicides for U.S. Row Crops. Loveland Products is an affiliate of Nutrein Ag Solutions that commercialized two new crop protection products that contain Ascribe’s biofungicide known as Phytalix. This collaboration is expected to increase the exposure of Phytalix-based products to the U.S. row crop market under the Loveland Products brand name during the 2026 growing season.
• August 2023: FMC India, a leader and pioneer in agrisciences, announced the launch of their biofungicide product that provides a revolutionary biological crop protection formulated with Bacillus subtilis, dubbed ENTAZIA. This product provides farmers with a powerful and sustainable tool that can protect their crops from fungi, also while maintaining environmental integrity. This product uses the capability of the Bacillus subtilis to control bacterial leaf blight, which is one of the most dangerous diseases for rice crops. 
• November 2022: Indigo Agriculture announced the launch of their biological fungicide product, which is based on the microbe Kosakonia cowanii, dubbed biotrinsic®X19. This biofungicide is a series of biological seed treatments that offer farmers the flexibility to design effective crop protection plans based on their specified field conditions.

Segmentation:

• By Crop Type:
  • Cash Crops
  • Horticultural Crops
  • Row Crops
• By Form:
  • Powder
  • Aqueous Solution
  • Granules
• By Mode of Application:
  • Foliar Spray
  • Soil Treatment
  • Seed Treatment
  • Others
• By Geography:
  • North America
    • United States
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • United Kingdom
    • Germany
    • France
    • Spain
    • Others
  • Middle East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • UAE
    • Israel
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • Japan
    • China
    • India
    • South Korea
    • Indonesia
    • Thailand
    • Others