Agriculture Pesticides Market Report

• Insecticides India Limited (IIL) (India) launched a new insecticide called Sparcle (Triflumezopyrim 10% SC) in collaboration with Corteva Agriscience (US), specifically targeting brown plant hopper (BPH) in paddy (rice) crops in India. (August 13, 2025)
• Bayer AG (Germany) expanded its partnership with M2i Group to exclusively distribute M2i’s pheromone-based biological crop protection gel technology (VYNYTY Press series) in the Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the United States, building on their existing success in Europe and Africa. This move strengthens Bayer’s global biologicals portfolio and provides farmers with additional sustainable pest. (July 14, 2025)
• FMC Corporation (US) and Corteva Agriscience (US) announced a strategic agreement to expand the marketing of FMC’s fluindapyr fungicide technology in the U.S. corn and soybean markets. Both companies will now market fluindapyr-based products to combat foliar diseases, with Corteva set to launch its own product in 2026. (June 03, 2025)
• BASF SE (Germany) launched two new crop protection products, Valexio® Insecticide and Mibelya® Fungicide, specifically for rice farmers in India. Valexio® manages rice hoppers, while Mibelya® controls diseases like sheath blight, aiming to improve rice yields and support India’s food security. (May 30, 2025)

Drivers: Growing food demand and rising agricultural wages

The most significant driver for the agriculture pesticides market is the increasing demand for food driven by global population growth. This creates pressure on farmers to maximize crop yields, making pesticides indispensable for mitigating losses from pests, weeds, and diseases. For instance, in India, despite having a relatively low per-hectare pesticide use compared to countries like Brazil, the increasing demand for food has driven pesticide consumption. A key factor is the rising cost of manual labor for weed control, with Indian agricultural wages increasing. The resulting higher cost of manual weed removal makes herbicides a more economically viable option for farmers to protect yields. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN highlights that global pesticide usage is largely influenced by the need to secure food for a growing populace.

Opportunities: Development of high-value biologicals and new technologies

The agricultural pesticides market has a major opportunity in the expansion of high-value biological products and next-generation technologies. In its H1 2025 earnings report, Syngenta noted strong demand and sales for its biological’s portfolio across all regions. This includes bio stimulants and biocontrol’s, which offer environmentally friendlier solutions to pest and disease management, appealing to both consumers and regulators. Similarly, Corteva’s Q2 2025 results showed that its crop protection volume increased by 11% year-over-year, driven in part by demand for new products and biologicals. Both companies are investing significantly in these areas. For example, Syngenta recently opened a new biologicals facility in the US, while Corteva emphasizes its next-generation pipeline, indicating a strategic shift toward more sustainable, high-tech crop protection.

Challenges: Heightened regulatory scrutiny and market volatility

Agriculture pesticides market faces a significant challenge from increasingly strict regulatory environments, which lead to costly product delisting’s and market volatility. The European Union, for example, is a leader in this area, with recent legislation significantly impacting the market. As of May 2025, the EU lowered the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the neonicotinoid insecticide thiacloprid to the lowest detectable level, effectively banning its use on most crops destined for the EU market. This regulatory shift forces companies to invest heavily in reformulating or replacing affected products, creating market instability. For instance, Bayer’s Crop Science division experienced a 26% decline in its herbicide sales in early 2024, which it attributed mainly to “significantly lower prices for glyphosate-based products due to reduced prices for generics”. This exemplifies how regulatory and market pressures can rapidly impact the financial performance of major industry players.

The global agriculture pesticides market is a cornerstone of the modern agricultural sector, playing a critical role in protecting crops from pests, diseases, and weeds to ensure food production and quality. Valued at USD 72.4 billion in 2024, the agriculture pesticides market is projected to reach around USD 92.6 billion by 2030, reflecting a CAGR of 4.2 % during the forecast period. This growth is driven by the increasing global population demanding more food, the expansion of intensive farming practices, and the ongoing challenge of managing pesticide resistance. The market is dominated by the herbicides segment, followed by insecticides and fungicides, with significant application across major crops like grains & cereals, oilseeds & pulses, and fruits & vegetables globally.