Sorghum Market Size, Share, Opportunities, And Trends By Product Type (Grain Sorghum, Sweet Sorghum, Forage Sorghum, Biomass Sorghum), By Application (Sorghum Planting, Sorghum Breeding), By End-User (Animal Feed, Food Industry, Wine Making, Others), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2023 To 2028

The global Sorghum market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.43% during the forecast period.

The nutritional content of sorghum makes it a great substitute for wheat, rice, and other fiber-rich grains. Moreover, sorghum (Jowar) is a gluten-free grain, unlike other grains with its wide application ranging from human feed, animal feed, and bio feed. These wide applications and their healthy nutrient content will boost the sorghum market growth.  Further, the development of hybrid sorghum with the technology and its less water usage property is the growth driver of the sorghum market.

Growing Demand in Animal Feed Industry

There is a rising demand for sorghum in the animal industry. For instance, grain sorghum is mainly used for animal feeding in Europe as per the KWS data. Due to its nutritional value and higher levels of protein, it is being fed to ship, pigs, poultry, cattle, and other such animals. The majority of the sorghum produced by the US (top supplier) goes to the animal feeding industry. For instance, only 2% of the sorghum produced is used for human consumption followed by 30% for biomass and the rest for animal feeding as per the estimates of Global Ag Investing. This growing demand in the animal feed industry is expected to propel the sorghum market size during the forecasted period.

Increased Government Support and Research Initiatives

Constant efforts are put into the sorghum market by the government and associated institutions to encourage the higher production of sorghum. The year 2023 was declared the year of millets by the UN organization to increase the awareness of health benefits of millets including sorghum consumption. The Indian government approved Rs. 6.25 crore of funding to around 66 startups in recent years that are working to raise awareness and promotion of millet consumption. The sorghum breeding program by the Indian government was initiated in 1990 to develop dual-purpose varieties of sorghum and after that India saw an increase in sorghum yield by 25% from 1991 to 2020 as per the reports of the Department of Agriculture, India. These continued efforts and research activities are projected to drive the growth of the sorghum market.

Climate Change and its Adaptability

Sorghum is known for its excellent drought tolerance feature and adaptability to warm conditions thus its production and consumption are getting more important in this time of climate change. Climate change is happening at an alarming level for instance, the last decade 2011-2020 was the warmest on Earth as per the reports of NASA, and global temperature is expected to rise by 2.8º by the end of the century. Sorghum is generally grown in the summer region with temperatures topping 90º Fahrenheit. With the climatic conditions changing, severe droughts, and rising temperatures, the production of sorghum is expected to rise worldwide with more adoption by farmers thereby increasing the sorghum market size.

Rising Health Awareness

The nutritional value and particularly the gluten-free feature of the sorghum are driving the sorghum market growth. There is rising awareness and health consciousness among people for instance. As per the study conducted by the University of Nebraska, 20% of Americans follow a gluten-free diet and it is expected to grow in the coming years. Moreover, the prevalence rate of gluten-related disorders was 21% in 2021 according to a study by National Centre for Biotechnology Research. Additionally, sorghum is rich in micronutrients, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and vitamin B6 which makes it more demandable coupled with rising health awareness thereby propelling the growth of sorghum market size. 

North America is the Largest Market

The North American sorghum market is expected to contribute the largest share of worldwide production. The US is the top supplier of sorghum with production of 373 million bushels in 2020 cultivated on 6.5 million acres of land in more than 12 states with Kansas leading the list among Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Additionally, the demand for sorghum in the region as an alternative sweetener is expected to drive the sorghum market growth. Furthermore, the technological advancements in the region for hybrid seeds and improved herbicides are anticipated to increase the sorghum market size.

Sorghum Market Key Players

• Bayer CropScience SE, a life science company in the market for more than 150 years serving the agriculture industry. The company provides sorghum solutions through Gaucho 600, Degree Xtra herbicide, Huskie®, Roundup PowerMax®3 Herbicide, and Sivanto™ prime among others.
• KWS SAAT SE, one of the leading sorghum producer and supplier companies since 2007. The KWS sorghum varieties provide excellent erosion protection and offer higher yield thus benefitting the growers with a better return on investment.
• Corteva Agriscience is an America-based exclusive seed company. The purpose of the company is to enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume by ensuring progress for generations. Through its Zest™ WDG sorghum herbicide, the farmers can manage the annual grasses in fields thereby maximizing the production land.

Key Market Developments

• In June 2023, Kansas State University announced its collaboration project to work on challenges in sorghum and millet production. This project will help in increasing global production by sharing information on global crop problems such as diseases.
• In March 2023, The Collaborative Sorghum Marketing Transformation Program (cSmart) launched the first-ever venture capital fund solely dedicated to attracting capital and creating opportunities for sorghum farmers and industry.
• In May 2020, Advanta Seeds in collaboration with UPL launched a sorghum weed control solution Zelone in Brazil. This solution combined with igrowth® provides weed control without damaging the crop. Further, the igrowth® is the world’s first commercial herbicide-tolerant technology and when combined with Zelone, it provides flexibility for pre-emergent or post-emergent sprayings.

Sorghum Market Scope:

Segmentation:  

• By Product Type
  • Grain Sorghum
  • Sweet Sorghum
  • Forage Sorghum
  • Biomass Sorghum
• By Application
  • Sorghum Planting
  • Sorghum Breeding
• By End-User
  • Animal Feed
  • Food Industry
  • Wine Making
  • 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