Europe Crop Protection Chemicals Market by Type (Synthetic [Herbicides, Insecticides], Biological [Bioinsecticides, Bioherbicides]), Formulation (Liquid, Solid), Mode of Application (Seed Treatment, Soil Treatment), Crop Type - Forecast to 2030

The Europe Crop Protection Chemicals Market is expected to reach $15.53 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2024 to 2030, while in terms of volume, the market is expected to reach 1,407.5 kilotons (KT) by 2030, at a CAGR of 3.5% from 2024 to 2030. The increasing need to increase crop yield and quality, growing organic farming and demand for organic food, rising awareness of environmental safety, and rapidly decreasing agricultural land are the key factors driving the growth of the Europe crop protection chemicals market. Furthermore, an increasing focus on integrated pest management and the growing adoption of biological seed treatments are expected to offer significant opportunities for the players operating in this market.

The European crop protection chemical market is evolving towards more sustainable and technology-driven solutions in response to changing consumer preferences and regulatory requirements. There is a growing focus on sustainable and environmentally friendly crop protection solutions driven by consumer demand and regulatory requirements. Moreover, biopesticides, derived from natural materials such as plants, bacteria, and fungi, are gaining popularity in the Europe crop protection chemical market as alternatives to synthetic pesticides. Additionally, the European Union (EU) is enacting stringent regulations on the use of pesticides, compelling the development of safer and more sustainable solutions in the region.

Key Players

The report includes a competitive landscape based on an extensive assessment of the key growth strategies adopted by leading market participants in the Europe crop protection chemicals market between 2020 and 2024. The key players profiled in this Europe crop protection chemicals market study are BASF SE (Germany), Bayer AG (Germany), Corteva, Inc. (U.S.), FMC Corporation (U.S.), Novozymes A/S (Denmark), Nufarm Limited (Australia), Syngenta AG (A Part of China National Chemical Corporation/Chemchina) (Switzerland), UPL Limited (India), Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. (Japan), ADAMA Agricultural Solutions Ltd. (Israel), and Isagro S.p.A. (Italy).

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Increasing Need to Increase Crop Yield and Quality to Boost the Growth of the Europe Crop Protection Chemicals Market

According to the Eurostat, the European population is expected to increase from 446.7 million in 2022 and peak at 453.3 million in 2026 (+1.5%). The growing European population is increasing the burden on Europe’s resources to provide more and different types of food. Also, there has been a growing demand for nutrient-dense and residue-free food products due to growing health awareness, socio-economic changes, increased incomes, and rapid urbanization.

The agricultural sector plays a vital role in the stability of the Europe economy. The Europe demand and consumption of crops for food, feed, and fuel are increasing rapidly, consequently driving the need to increase crop yield. Since crop yields are becoming increasingly important, the demand for cost-effective strategies to boost crop yields is also rising significantly. Furthermore, the decline in agricultural land has driven agricultural producers to become more efficient and productive to meet the Europe food demand.

In addition, the rising demand for biofuels will continue to exert upward pressure on commodity prices, affecting food security in European countries. Thus, agricultural crop protection chemicals and modern agricultural practices with advanced technologies are necessary for breaking yield barriers and enhancing crop productivity to meet the Europe food demand while ensuring environmental safety. Crop protection chemicals provide farmers with a cost-effective way of improving crop yield and quality.

Rising Awareness of Environmental Safety to Drive the Growth of the Europe Crop Protection Chemicals Market

Biopesticides are valuable tools for growers as they are highly effective in managing pests and diseases without negatively impacting the environment, and their active and inert ingredients are generally recognized as safe. Besides the microbial content, carrier media for formulating biopesticides consist of several organic materials, such as animal broth, organic materials, or organic waste products. The media is a biodegradable material. Biological pesticides support the stability and sustainability of the agroecosystem as they do not negatively impact the environment and are predominantly used in organic farming as a pest control solution.

Besides impacting humans, synthetic crop protection chemicals cause significant damage to the environment. There have been many cases in Europe where freshwater used for agriculture was polluted with harmful pesticides, causing serious damage to freshwater flora and fauna. Therefore, many organizations, such as the European Commission, have been opposing chemical pesticides. These factors are driving the demand for biological pesticides in the European market.

Biologicals are always safer and easier on the environment than chemical products. Biopesticides are often formulated to only affect the target pest and closely related organisms (selective) in direct contrast to chemical pesticides, which frequently offer broad sweeping coverage (non-selective) that negatively impacts insects, birds, and anything else that comes into contact with them. Biopesticides contain biological agents such as natural organisms or products and therefore, pose a lower threat to the environment and human health. Biopesticides have gained much importance in pest management and have long been promoted as prospective alternatives to synthetic pesticides.

Thus, the growing awareness about environmental safety is boosting the use of biological control agents, driving the growth of this market.

Key Findings in the Europe Crop Protection Chemicals Market Study:

In 2024, the Synthetic Chemicals Segment to Dominate the Europe Crop Protection Chemicals Market

Based on type, in 2024, the synthetic chemicals segment is expected to account for the larger share of the Europe crop protection chemicals market. The large market share of this segment is attributed to its increasing use in developing countries, ease of availability, high efficiency, and lower cost than biological products.

Moreover, the synthetic chemicals segment is further segmented into herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and other synthetic chemicals. In 2024, the fungicides segment is expected to account for the largest of the Europe synthetic chemicals market.

However, the biological chemicals segment is projected to witness significant growth during the forecast period of 2024–2030. The rapid growth of this segment is mainly driven by the increasing adoption of organic farming, rising acceptance of natural pest control solutions, growing environmental and public health concerns regarding the use of chemical crop protection products, high demand for chemical residue-free agricultural products, and the initiatives by governments worldwide to promote the use of biological crop protection products for pest management and weed control. Moreover, the biological chemicals segment is further segmented into bioinsecticides, biofungicides, bionematicides, bioherbicides, and other biological chemicals.

In 2024, the Liquid Formulation Segment to Dominate the Europe Crop Protection Chemicals Market

Based on formulation, in 2024, the liquid formulation segment is expected to account for the larger share of the Europe crop protection chemicals market. The large market share of this segment is attributed to the uniform & easy application of liquid form, better performance, higher effective duration (up to 6 months) than dry form (up to 3 months), and advancement in spraying technologies. Liquid formulations are often deemed safer for handling and application in contrast to dry formulations due to their reduced propensity to generate dust and consequent risk of inhalation. As a result, liquid formulations are gaining increased favorability among European farmers.

The Seed Treatment Segment to Witness Highest Demand During the Forecast Period of 2024–2031

Based on mode of application, in 2024, the foliar spray segment is expected to account for the largest share of the Europe crop protection chemicals market. The large market share of this segment is attributed to the high efficiency in the application, uniform distribution of chemicals, and minimum to no wastage of crop protection chemicals in the foliar spray mode of application.

However, the seed treatment segment is projected to witness significant growth during the forecast period of 2024–2030. The rapid growth of this segment is mainly driven by the increased germination and uniform seedling emergence, safety, and pest resistance advantages of the seed treatment technique. In this method, microbial pesticides are often applied with chemical pesticides, as chemical pesticides provide early-season control, and microbial pesticides provide extended control.

In 2024, the Fruits & Vegetables Segment to Dominate the Europe Crop Protection Chemicals Market

Based on crop type, in 2024, the fruits & vegetables segment is expected to account for the largest share of the Europe crop protection chemicals market. The large market share of this segment is attributed to the growing urbanization and increased adoption of healthy lifestyles, growing demand for organic fruits & vegetables over conventional ones, rising number of diseases affecting fruit & vegetable crops, and the increasing adoption of natural pest management solutions for orchards.

In 2024, Spain is Expected to Dominate the Europe Crop Protection Chemicals Market

Based on country, the Europe crop protection chemicals market is segmented into France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., Russia, Poland, Hungary, Greece, Portugal, Netherlands, and the rest of Europe. In 2024, Spain is expected to account for the largest share of the Europe crop protection chemicals market. The large share of this market is mainly attributed to the growing demand for food with the growing population, increasing adoption of precision farming practices, huge organic farmland and growing demand for organic food, and rising government support for biological crop protection chemicals.

Report Summary:

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