Semiochemicals Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Pheromones and Allelochemicals), By Function (Mass Trapping, Detection & Monitoring, and Mating Disruption), Crop Type (Field Crops, Orchard Crops, Vegetable Crops, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2021 – 2028

The global semiochemicals market size stood at USD 3.30 billion in 2020. Like other industries, the COVID-19 occurrence has impacted the global agricultural input production including semiochemicals. Based on our analysis, this market experienced a minimal decline as compared to conventional pesticides in 2020. The market is projected to grow from USD 3.72 billion in 2021 to USD 9.70 billion at a CAGR of 14.7% in the 2021-2028 period. The rise in CAGR is due to the increasing demand for biopesticides and the growing application of integrated pest management.

The growing demand for organic foods to reduce the health risks arising from using chemical pesticides and fertilizers drives the demand for bio-based and sustainable pesticides, such as semiochemicals. The practical application of these biopesticides in agriculture has increased in the last decade due to the extensive application of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and area-wide pest management. The increased knowledge regarding the benefits of soft pest control, abandoning of conventional pesticides, managing pest resistance, and reducing chemical residues in crops are the strong factors on the basis of which semiochemicals have become one of the crucial tools in the IPM management of various high-value fruits, vegetable, and commodity crops.

Transport Disruptions amid COVID-19 to Significantly Impact the Market

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the global agricultural sector. Disruptions in the supply chain, interruptions in marketing activities, and travel restrictions have led to a negative impact on the market. For instance, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation & Development (OECD), pesticide production had severely declined during the first few months of the pandemic spread due to nationwide lockdowns. However, the increased concerns related to food safety and health have re-established the demand for organic food commodities and fruits & vegetables, which is expected to continue during & after the pandemic. The growing interest in consuming safe and natural foods among consumers to reduce the risk of diseases is expected to further increase the demand for these chemicals among farmers during and after the pandemic.

LATEST TRENDS

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Surging Popularity of Organic Farming to Fuel Market Growth

The adoption of organic farming is expanding across the globe due to the growing popularity of organic foods among consumers, which is attributed to the increasing knowledge of health benefits provided through their consumption. The increasing awareness regarding the harmful effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has mainly driven the growth of organic farming worldwide. According to the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), organic farmland increased by 2.0 million hectares from 2017 and reached 71.5 million hectares in 2018. The increasing area under organic agriculture across the world fuels the demand for bio-based and eco-friendly pest management solutions such as semiochemicals.

The developed markets of Europe and North America are the primary consumers of organic and clean-label foods. The increased awareness about sustainable approaches among farmers in these regions boosts the overall market growth.

DRIVING FACTORS

Increasing Demand for Sustainable Crop Protection Solutions to Drive Market Growth

The agricultural system worldwide actively utilizes pesticides and insecticides for the effective elimination of pests and high crop yield. According to the Food & Agricultural Organization, in 2018, 4.1 million tons of pesticides were utilized worldwide. However, in recent years, the growing knowledge among consumers regarding the harmful effects of chemical pesticides and insecticides on crops and human health has necessitated farmers across the globe to improve their agricultural practices. This has increased the implementation of sustainable crop management systems and, in turn, the utilization of biopesticides.

Semiochemicals are biological pesticides, which makes them environmentally as well as organically safe. The increasing research and development activities to expand the application area for these pesticides are anticipated to boost the growth of the market during the industry forecast period. For instance, in October 2019, Provivi invested USD 85 million to support the company's pheromone product development.

Strong Demand for High-Value Crops to Boost Growth

In the past few years, consumer preferences have shifted toward healthy and safer foods to maintain and improve health. The emerging market trends, such as consuming organic, clean-label, natural, and pesticide-free foods, have also evolved the face of agriculture across the globe. The increasing demand for high-value crops, such as organic commodities, organic fruits, and vegetables, fuels the growth of the semiochemicals market globally. Consumers are more aware of the safety of the food they are consuming, which has significantly transformed the utilization of pesticides and pest management programs. Farmers nowadays have begun implementing sustainable and environment-friendly approaches to reduce the use of conventional pesticides that are perceived to be unsafe by consumers. The growing perception among consumers that high-value crops are healthier is expected to further drive the market growth in the upcoming years.

Furthermore, the higher acceptance of vegan diets in developed nations particularly Europe would also fuel the consumption of high-value crops such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Lack of Awareness and High Cost of Active Ingredients to Hamper Market Growth

Although biological pesticides are perceived to be safer for crops and the environment, the lack of awareness regarding semiochemicals among farmers across developing markets of Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa is expected to hinder the market growth. In addition, the high maintenance, coupled with their high cost as compared to conventional pesticides is anticipated to pose a major restraint for the growth of the global market. The high cost of these biopesticides restricts small farmers from implementing these methods in agricultural practices. Moreover, the additional labor charges required for the application further increase their cost, hampering the market growth. However, the increasing government support to boost their utilization among farmers is projected to help tackle these problems in the foreseeable years.

SEGMENTATION

By Type Analysis

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Pheromones to Emerge as Most Preferred Type in the Industry

The pheromones segment holds a major semiochemicals market share as it is the most utilized type of crop protection among farmers. Pheromones are semiochemicals produced by species that modify the behavior of other individuals of the same species. Thus, pheromones are known to be species-specific in nature. High activity in small amounts and low toxicity are the factors responsible for the increased utilization of pheromones. This segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR as these substances help overcome host resistance, offering tremendous growth opportunities.

The allelochemicals segment is showcasing substantial growth owing to their rising utilization and efficacy to control weeds and insect pests on field crops. In-field crops, allelochemicals can be utilized following mulching, rotation, plant extracts, and using cover crops for natural pest control.

By Function Analysis

Mating Disruption to Emerge as the Leading Function among Others

Based on function, the market is segmented into detection & monitoring, mass trapping, and mating disruption. Mating disruption has emerged as the leading function due to its higher effectiveness in low or moderate pest infestations. Further, mating disruption specifically controls target species and thus greatly reduces the number of matings, thereby preventing species reproduction.

Detection and monitoring are mainly utilized for the early detection of insects, most of the time at an infestation level that would not be otherwise possible to detect. The early detection and monitoring of insects enable a more efficient integrated pest management program by allowing the optimization of the application period of insecticides and calculation of the efficacy of control options.

Mass trapping is a highly effective function in low-medium pest infestations. However, when the population is dense, mass trapping is used along with other control methods. Also, according to a pheromone manufacturing company,  the application of mass trapping can reduce the number of chemical treatments by over 70%. Thus, the utilization of these chemicals to control insects with mass trapping is growing.

By Crop Type Analysis

Orchard Crop Holds Major Market Share Backed by High Demand for High-Value Crops

Semiochemicals are primarily applied on orchard crops as compared to other crop types, such as vegetables and field crops, due to the growing demand for high-value crops among consumers. Also, orchard crops are more susceptible to pests, such as fruit flies, codling moths, and peachtree borers.

These have also become one of the crucial tools in the integrated pest management of a variety of vegetable crops as the mode of action of semiochemicals on target pests is indirect and it affects the pest behavior by attraction or disruption, which prevents any damage to vegetables.

The growing popularity of organic crop protection products in crops, such as wheat, rice, soybean, and sorghum, has increased the demand for biological pesticides among farmers for field crops. The emerging trend of consuming organic and clean-label foods is expected to fuel their utilization of these crops.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

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The North America market size stood at USD 1.03 billion in 2020 and is anticipated to lead the market during the industry forecast period due to the increasing implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) solutions for crop protection across the region. The growing awareness regarding sustainable agriculture cultivation among farmers in the U.S. and Canada has significantly contributed to market growth in the region. The rising government interventions to increase the utilization of sustainable pesticides are anticipated to drive market growth in the upcoming years.

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, Europe has the second-largest area under organic agriculture. Europe holds the second-highest market share in terms of value. The strong demand for organic commodities in countries including the UK, France, Italy, and Germany has necessitated farmers to implement biological crop protection methods such as semiochemicals in pest management programs. Recent innovations, such as remote sensing and spatial imaging, in the region, help farmers to tackle their pest issues and will further drive market growth.

The growth of the semiochemicals market in Asia Pacific is primarily attributed to the growing awareness regarding crop protection and methods to increase crop yield among farmers. The growing agricultural area that is under organic farming is expected to further fuel the demand in the region.

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The market in South America is estimated to grow at the fastest CAGR in the coming years. This can be attributed to the increasing commercial cultivation of commodity crops. The rising knowledge regarding biological pesticides and agricultural sustainability is predicted to significantly drive the growth of the market in the region.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Corteva Agriscience to Focus on Strategic Collaborations to Fortify Its Presence in the Market

Corteva Agriscience is actively focused on collaborations with already established players to strengthen its presence in the market. For instance, in May 2020, the company announced its agreement with M2i, a leader in biological crop protection to bring M2i’s semiochemicals portfolio to the market.

The market exhibits a consolidated structure, dominated by a few multinational companies. Leading players, such as Shin-Etsu, Pacific Biocontrol Corp, and Bedoukian Research, are focusing on new product developments (product launches), acquisitions, and partnerships to further consolidate the market. The arrival of small and niche players in the biological pesticide market will also contribute to escalating competition within the market, which will have a positive effect on its growth.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED:

• Shin-Etsu (Tokyo, Japan)


• Pacific Biocontrol Corp (Washington, U.S.)


• Bedoukian Research (Connecticut, U.S.)


• Corteva Agriscience (Delaware, U.S.)


• Suterra (Oregon, U.S.)


• Pherobank (Wijk bij Duurstede, Netherlands)


• Certis (Columbia, U.S.)


• Koppert Biological Systems (Berkel en Rodenrijs, Netherlands) 


• Isagro Group (Italy)


• Rusell IPM (Deeside, U.K.)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• March 2020: Scientists from the Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Research (JNCASR) & the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, India have developed a powdered formula of semiochemicals that can make the pheromone-based pest control method cheaper.


• October 2019: U.S. and Brazil-based ISCA Technologies announced a merger with Indian ATGC Biotech to form ISCA global which aims to focus on research and development of insect control products such as semiochemicals that are less harmful to the environment.

REPORT COVERAGE

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The market research report provides qualitative and quantitative insights into the market. It also offers a detailed analysis of the market size and growth rate for all possible market segments. Various key insights presented in the report are an overview of related markets, recent industry developments such as mergers & acquisitions, the regulatory scenario in critical countries, and key industry trends.

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