Agricultural Pheromones Market

The global Agricultural Pheromones Market is on a trajectory of significant expansion, with an estimated value projected to reach USD 9.6 billion by 2029 from the 2024 valuation of USD 4.5 billion, indicating a substantial Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16.4%. The rise in concerns of consumers and governments about food safety has encouraged growers to explore new environment-friendly methods to replace or at least supplement the current chemical-based practices. The use of pheromones has emerged as a promising alternative to chemical pesticides. Pheromones are offered at a low cost in the market as compared to chemical pesticide sprays. In addition, government organizations are encouraging the adoption of pheromones for crop protection across regions. Moreover, government initiatives for the improvement and development of the agricultural sector across the world are also positively influencing the market growth of agricultural pheromones.

The agricultural pheromones market is driven by innovations, such as the use of new technical ingredients, innovative pheromone traps, and lure designs. The agricultural pheromones market growth is mainly supported by factors such as a rise in awareness regarding chemical pesticides' ill effects and pheromones' properties (including target specificity).

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Market Dynamics

Driver: Growing demand for sustainable crop solutions

The global agriculture sector actively uses insecticides and pesticides to eliminate pests and attain high crop yields. According to the FAO, at the global level, total pesticide use in agriculture remained stable in 2020, at 2.7 million tonnes (2.9 million tons) of active ingredients. However, growing consumer awareness of the negative effects of insecticides and chemical pesticides on human health is propelling farmers to enhance their agricultural practices. This is further resulting in the application of biopesticides and the implementation of sustainable crop management systems across the globe. Many horticulture and agriculture farmers are employing sex pheromones and attractants to decrease the number of crop-damaging insects and pests effectively.

In addition, companies nowadays are increasing their research & development investments to diversify the application area for these pesticides and thus, propelling the growth of the overall market over the next few years. For instance, Provivi invested over USD 85 million in October 2019 to support the development of its pheromone product portfolio. Rising R&D initiatives to improve the overall efficiency of the product are projected to drive the agricultural pheromones market in the coming years

Restraint: Increased production and maintenance costs of agricultural pheromones

The high costs of agricultural pheromones as compared to the conventional insecticides and other pesticides is hindering the growth of the market. The cost of pheromones can range from USD 1000 to USD 3500 to produce 1 kg of artificial pheromones. Utilization of these pheromones can cost between USD 40 – USD 400 per hectare depending on the type of pest.  This has limited the use of pheromones to crops which require small area of land and produce decent returns on investments such as fruits and nuts. Farmers who are mainly into cultivation of crops such as traditional crops such corn or soyabeans among others are often not able to afford the deployment of agricultural pheromones in the large fields. The high cost of agricultural pheromones is making them unaffordable in large-scale agriculture for pest control. Furthermore, a highly skilled workforce is required to deploy and maintain the insect pheromones. The lack of skilled workers coupled with the growing labor wages is restraining the growth of the agricultural pheromones market.

Opportunity: Rise in demand for high-value crops

Agricultural insect pheromones are primarily used in permanent croplands, where fruits, tree nuts, ornamentals, and plantation crops are grown. The demand for insect pheromones is mostly concentrated in high-value crops, such as pome fruits, grapes, cotton, and other vegetable and ornamental crops, as they improve crop quality and yield. The growing demand for high-value crops is proliferating the demand for agricultural pheromones. consumer preferences have shifted toward consuming healthy and organic food products to maintain health and improve immunity. Other emerging industry trends, including the consumption of safe, natural, clean-label, and pesticide-free products, have also changed the scenario of agriculture across the globe. Therefore, increasing demand for high-value crops, such as organic fruits & vegetables and organic commodities among consumers, is projected to spur the pheromones market over the forecast period.

Challenges: Inadequate awareness and low application of pheromones in developing economies

The awareness among farmers of biologicals like pheromones is comparatively low. Farmers lack technical knowledge on how to use pheromones for pest control. Furthermore, farmers in developing countries are highly accustomed to the use of chemical pesticides as they are simple. Hence, they are finding the methods of pheromone applications highly complex and difficult.  As the market is highly fragmented at the regional level, awareness regarding various brands is low. Despite considerable efforts by agronomists, agricultural universities, companies, and governments across the globe in recent years, the majority of farmers are unaware of pheromone products and their benefits in increasing cost-yield sustainability. The resistance and reluctance of farmers to unfamiliar technologies like agricultural pheromones are posing a challenge to the growth of the agricultural pheromones market.

AGRICULTURAL PHEROMONES MARKET ECOSYSTEM

In the type segment, the market for sex pheromones is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The high usage of sex pheromones is attributed to their utilization in mating disruption and detection & monitoring techniques. Sex pheromones do not assist in capturing both the sexes of the insect species; however, they are effective in reducing the reproduction activity of both sexes to less than 5%. Different pheromone products based on functions, such as host-marking (repellants), trail, and alarm (dispersal pheromones), are being identified and researched to be introduced for commercial purposes. There are several benefits in using sex pheromone-based mating disruption strategies for the control of pests. Sex pheromones are favorable to the environment since it lessen the need for chemical pesticides, minimizing the harm they cause to ecosystems and organisms that are not their intended targets. The ability to target specific pest species with mating disruption techniques also makes them a precise and efficient way to manage insect populations. The benefits of sex pheromones in controlling insect populations efficiently in a sustainable manner is augmenting the growth of the market.

In the crop type segment, field crops are anticipated to record the highest CAGR during the forecast period.  

A research paper, “Insect pest management with sex pheromone precursors from engineered oilseed plants,” in 2022, stated that many commercially significant crops, particularly row crops grown in broad fields such as soybean, corn, and cotton, still lack pheromone-based pest management. This is mostly because growers of lower-value crops are unable to afford mating disruption solutions due to the high expense of the traditional chemical manufacture of pheromones.  However, considering this, in lower-value but higher-volume row crops such as corn, cotton, and soybean, where pheromone-based solutions are highly underutilized, the players in the market are involved in research and development and partnerships to launch pheromones specifically to the field crops. For instance, in 2022, Provivi and Syngenta Crop Protection launched a pheromone-based technology Nelvium to control detrimental rice pests. Nelvium is a mating disruption solution that effectively and more safely contains detrimental pests in rice. The growing research and development and new product launches for field crops are boosting the growth of the market during the forecast period.

The agricultural pheromones market in the North American region is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has been actively involved in integrated pest management practices. It adopts less risky pest control options, such as pheromones and biological control, with a view to disrupting mating among insect pests. The EPA regulates certain uses of pheromones, considers them a pesticide, and regulates their use through registration. The EPA has registered pheromone products to control oriental fruit moth, peach tree borer, codling moth, and pests on some nonfood crops. Government support, an increase in demand for organic food, expansion of areas under organic farming, new enhanced regulations to modernize the export industry, and reduced dependence on conventional insecticides are some factors that have contributed to the growth of the agricultural pheromones market in this region.

Key Market Players

Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd (Japan), BASF SE (Germany), Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Japan), Biobest Group NV (Belgium), and The Wonderful Company LLC (US) are among the key players in the global agricultural pheromones market. To strengthen their market position in the global agricultural pheromones market, key players are now focusing on strategies such as collaborations, partnerships, acquisitions, mergers, and expansions.

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Scope of the Report

Target Audience

• Agricultural pheromones manufacturers, formulators, and blenders
• Agricultural biological manufacturers
• Technological and raw material providers to  agricultural pheromone manufacturers
• Commercial research & development (R&D) organizations and financial institutions
• Government agricultural departments and regulatory bodies such as the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), US Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

Agricultural Pheromones Market:

By Type

• Sex Pheromones
• Aggregation Pheromones
• Other Types

By Function

• Detection & Monitoring
• Mass Trapping
• Mating Disruption

By Mode of Application

• Dispensers
• Traps
• Sprays

By Crop Type

• Field Crops
• Fruits & Nuts
• Vegetable Crops
• Others

By Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• South America
• Rest of the World (RoW)

Recent Developments

• In December 2023, Biobest Group N.V. acquired Biotrop Participações s.a (“Biotrop”). Biotrop, a leading player in Brazil’s biologicals market. This acquisition is part of the company’s objective to enter the top 10 agricotech companies by 2034. Through this acquisition aims to shift from a horticulture biocontrol and pollination specialist to a prominent biological player in agriculture, encompassing beneficial biopesticides, stimulants and -inoculants, and pollination in covered and in open-field crops.
• In February 2023, Pherobank launched a new pheromone lure that would be used as an attractant for Syngrapha parilis and Sympistis lapponica. This company launch would help it expand its product portfolio and serve a larger consumer base.
• In January 2023, Koppert Biological Systems completed the acquisition of Linderso AB, a prominent distributor in Sweden. The acquisition would enable the company to improve its geographical presence and commercial strength in the Scandinavian market.
• In February 2022, Suterra LLC, a subsidiary of Wonderful Company LLC, launched a new monitoring lure for pear, apple, and walnut pests. This lure would be beneficial for controlling codling moths affecting fruit crops. It could also be used to monitor in conjunction with pheromone mating disruption solutions that confuse male species of codling moths. With this, Suterra LLC expanded the portfolio of monitoring products used for mating disruption, especially in orchards.

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