Agricultural Adjuvants Market Size, Share and Industry Analysis By Type (Activator Adjuvants, Utility Adjuvants, Others), By Application (Herbicides, Insecticides, Fungicides, Others), By Crop (Cereals, Oilseeds, Fruits & Vegetables, Other Crops), and Regional Forecast 2019-2032

The global agricultural adjuvants market size was valued at USD 2.92 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 6.59 billion by the end of 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.61% during the forecast period based on our analysis in the existing report.

The growing demand for crop protection chemicals is the key factor driving the global market. Increased awareness about the potential implications of aberrant usage of pesticides on the environment has received higher attention in the recent decade. This factor is fueling demand for agricultural adjuvants and thus boosting the market revenue. During the application of crop protection chemicals, the drift of spray drops (due to weather conditions, application technology, and physical & chemical properties of pesticides) has led to contamination of water bodies across various regions.

According to PAN Europe, 7% of the groundwater stations in European countries reported excessive levels for one or more pesticides. Therefore, PAN Europe works on the contamination of European freshwater systems by pesticides, giving particular emphasis on the effects of endocrine-disrupting pesticides on aquatic ecosystems.

The agricultural adjuvants industry is heavily self-regulated, and the formulations are considered “trade secrets.” However, the majority of adjuvant products are the same or vary by minor changes in components or the combination of products having different functionalities. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates adjuvant formulations, but it does not stringently regulate the manufacture and use of adjuvant products.

The adjuvants play a key role in controlling these variables to improve overall pesticide effectiveness. Some of the more commonly used adjuvants include drift retardants, wetter-spreaders, stickers, buffers, and foam retardants. Research studies revealed that agricultural adjuvants cost around US$ 0.75-1.0 per acre additionally, along with herbicides, and help in improving the percent absorption spray by 50-85%. Lack of strict regulations and limited awareness among crop producers about the benefits of using spray adjuvants are some of the inhibiting factors for the agricultural adjuvants market growth. 

Market Segmentation

"Insecticides to Emerge as Most Attractive Product Type due to Growing Demand in the Asia Pacific"

Several adjuvant products available at the marketplace are mainly intended to offer a resolution of spray-mix incompatibilities resulting from the combination of one or more agrochemicals. Activator adjuvants, especially surfactants, are the major category of adjuvants that account for the largest market share.

The Brazil market is projected to witness strong growth during the projected period between 2019 and 2026 due to the growing crop protection chemicals market along with the strong adoption trend of improved technologies in cultivation crops.

"Adjuvants application is projected to continue to dominate with herbicides application"

The herbicides segment accounts for the largest share among applications as they are a major group of crop protection chemicals used in agriculture. Post-emergence herbicide effectiveness is significantly influenced by plant factors such as age, size, and growing conditions. Hence, adjuvants, specifically surfactants, are generally used with the herbicide spray solution to improve the effectiveness of post-emergence herbicides. The benefits of using surfactants with agrochemicals are projected to continue to support the growth of the surfactants market during the forecast period.

Regional Analysis

"North America and Europe dominate the agricultural adjuvants market"

North America followed by Europe are the two largest markets for agricultural adjuvants at present, and they are expected to account for a significant proportion of the global market in the forecast period as well. Stringent regulations on the usage of crop protection chemicals to protect the environment from hazardous effects are driving the market in North America and Europe

The market growth in South America and the Asia Pacific is projected to witness strong growth due to the growing crop protection chemicals market. In addition to this, the increasing awareness among the crop producers about the benefits of adjuvants with the spray chemicals is another factor further driving the global market in these two regions.

Key Market Drivers

"Launch of new products having innovations is a key strategy for growth in the market"

Several companies in the agricultural adjuvants industry are involved in the discovery, development, and launch of agricultural adjuvant products. Companies such as Evonik, Clariant, BASF, Croda International, AkzoNobel, DowDuPont, and Solvay are dominating the agricultural adjuvants market trend.

Key companies covered in the report

• BASF SE


• Clariant AG


• Akzo Nobel N.V.


• Huntsman Corporation


• Helena Agri-Enterprises


• Stepan Company


• DowDuPont


• Wilbur-Ellis


• Drexel Chemical


• Nufarm


• Other key players

Report Coverage

According to EPA, adjuvants are chemicals added to a pesticide by users to improve the pesticide's efficiency. Adjuvants are added to a pesticide product (in-formulation) or pesticide spray mixture (tank-mix) to enhance the pesticide’s performance and/or the physical properties of the spray mixture. A spray of crop protection chemicals is majorly affected by various physical variables such as pesticide stability, solubility, compatibility, foaming, droplet size, suspension, surface tension, coverage, volatilization, penetration, and others.

The report provides qualitative and quantitative insights on the agricultural adjuvants industry and a detailed analysis of agricultural adjuvants market share and growth rate for all possible segments in the market. The global market is segmented by type, application, and crop type. On the basis of type, the global market is categorized into activator adjuvants and utility adjuvants.

Herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and others are the key applications covered in the study. Various crop types included in the report are cereals, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables, and other crops. Geographically, the market is segmented into four major regions, which are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World. The regions are further categorized into countries.

Along with this, the report provides an elaborative analysis of the market dynamics and competitive landscape. Various key insights provided in the report are the overview of related markets, recent industry developments such as mergers & acquisitions, the regulatory scenario in key countries, and key industry trends.

SEGMENTATION

Key Industry Development

• In May 2021, Yara International announced the launch of a global business named Agoro Carbon Alliance that helps farmers to adopt positive climate farming practices and earn revenue. Farmers who join this program help to increase the yield by adopting sustainable carbon cropping practices.


• In January 2021,  Attune Agriculture, a company leading in hydrocolloid technology, announced the expansion of new crop products in the market. The company partnered with Commodit Ag to sell “Accomplice” which is an all-in-one adjuvant designed for application on row crops.


• In January 2021, C&H Ag Products, LLC, a US-based company, announced its line of adjuvants and plant growth regulators in the market. The company aims to launch products such as ‘NUTRIPRIME,’ a plant growth regulator, and ‘FULL VIEW,’ adjuvants designed to serve the farmers.