Agricultural Surfactants Market

According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Agricultural Surfactants Market is accounted for $1.96 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $3.50 billion by 2028 growing at a CAGR of 8.6% during the forecast period. Agricultural surfactants are additives applied in agricultural formulations for the purpose of enhancing the effectiveness of agricultural pesticides. They improve the wettability, retention, spreading ability and penetration onto the leaf surface by decreasing the surface tension of water in the pesticide's spray solutions. Agricultural surfactants also reduce the overall costs, quantity of pesticides used and pollution as less active compounds are needed during foliar uptake.



Market Dynamics:

Driver:

Increasing Need for Crop Protection

There has been a significant increase in the demand for food owing to the rapidly increasing global population. According to research conducted by the Food & Agricultural Organization (FAO), the land for cultivation is shrinking and is likely to cause food production distress in the forthcoming years. Modern techniques of farming and a higher rate of adoption of pesticides and insecticides are anticipated to reduce the food demand and supply pressure by yielding high produce. The increasing prevalence of various crop diseases and insect attacks has propelled the need for higher yields and to further ensure the production of a superior quality crop. This has ultimately boosted the demand for pesticides and insecticides. For instance, in June 2020, locusts swarmed in huge numbers in many countries including Kenya, India, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia, Iran, Yemen, and others causing high destruction and damage to crops. Whereas, agricultural surfactants are additives that are used in agrochemicals to improve the effectiveness of the pesticides. They offer low toxicity to the plants and superior dispersing agent that will favour the market growth.

Restraint:

Restricted Usage of Chemical Insecticides and Pesticides

The shifting preferences of consumers towards food products with minimum chemical residues have significantly limited the use of chemical pesticides and insecticides, which ultimately has hampered the demand for the market. The increasing of pesticides and other agrochemicals is negatively impacting the market. Additionally, the increasing demand for organic pesticides and fertilizers has adversely affected the demand for chemical pesticides and other agrochemicals. Genetically modified (GM) seeds are used in the production of agricultural crop. The growing utilization of GM seeds as they offer increased yield with fewer pesticides and agrochemicals usage may restrict growth in the market.

Opportunity:

Growth in Production Techniques

Several approaches have been undertaken to improve bio-based surfactant productivity, such as genetic modifications, optimization of growth conditions, and computational modeling. During aeration and agitation of the solution, the processing of bio-based surfactants in bioreactor results in extreme foaming. At times, the high formation of foam is caused by the presence of extracellular proteins, resulting in an increased cost of production. Hence, to reduce the production cost of bio-based surfactants the use of low-cost substrates such as crude or waste materials such as biodiesel waste glycerine, soybean oil refinery waste fatty acids, and sunflower oil refinery waste is used. Also, the use of these waste substrates significantly reduces production costs, maximizes the efficiency of consumption, and makes the process eco-friendly.

Threat:

Effects of Surfactants on Aquatic Life

The degree of damage to aquatic plants by surfactants relates directly to their concentration. When the surfactant content is high in water, the growth of algae and other microorganisms in water gets affected, resulting in reduced primary productivity of water bodies, thereby undermining the aquatic organism’s food chain in water bodies. The reason that surfactant cause acute poisoning can lead to increased membrane permeability, leading to a gradual disintegration of the material exosmosis and cell structure. Also, surfactants affect aquatic animals. After the fish is exposed to the surfactants, the serum transaminases and the activity of alkaline acid phosphatase increase which indicates the adverse effects produced by the fish.

Herbicides segment is expected to be the largest during the forecast period

The herbicides segment is expected to hold a major share during the forecast period. Herbicides are often termed weed killers and are special formulations used to control unwanted plants in farms. They further aid in killing the specific weed species without harming the desired crop. They are generally applied before the emergence of weeds or post-emergence. Herbicides are blended with surfactants to increase the spraying ability, which ultimately helps in the application having large surfaces. This increases workability and reduces the wastage of herbicides. The growing demand for herbicides from forestry to suppress the hardwood varieties favoring conifers, pasture systems, and managing the wildlife habitat areas shall drive the market growth.

The non-ionic segment is expected to have the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Non-ionic agricultural surfactants segment is anticipated to rise significantly in the projected timeframe, owing to rising herbicide spray solution utilization. These surfactants offer superior dispersing agents, low toxicity to plants & animals along stability in cold water characteristics should stimulate product demand. It is compatible with water-soluble herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and plant growth regulators owing to surface tension reduction and contact angle of individual spray droplets attributes which may accelerate industry growth.

Region with highest share:

The Asia Pacific is projected to hold the highest market share. Huge agricultural growth due to expanding the population, fertile & arable land, major agriculture occupation dependent population, lucrative government schemes, growing agriculture-related R&D & farming techniques is likely to contribute significantly to the market growth over the forecast period. India is the largest producer of pulses, rice, wheat, spices, and spice products which may fuel product demand.

Region with highest CAGR:

North America is projected to have the highest CAGR, due to established agricultural industry, high agriculture expenditure, and a strong emphasis on technologically advanced farming techniques & products and is expected to show steady growth during the forecast period. Moreover, the increasing government initiatives to enhance crop yield and maintain a constant supply of raw materials for feed, food, and biofuel industries. The presence of fertile and arable land, large agricultural occupation-dependent population, lucrative government schemes, and a rise in agricultural R&D & farming techniques are expected to significantly contribute to the market during the forecast period. The U.S. agribusiness industry, due to its large workforce, market size, and infrastructure, is a significant competitor in the global market.



Key players in the market:

Some of the key players profiled in the Agricultural Surfactants Market include Akzonobel , Clariant, Solvay SA, Wilbur-Ellis Company, Helena Chemical Company, Croda International PLC, Corteva Agriscience, Nufarm Limited, Evonik Industries, Huntsman Corporation, BASF SE, Dowdupont, Stepan Company, Kao Corporation, Asahi Kasei Medical Company Limited, Lamberti SPA, Honeywell International Inc, Garrco Products Inc, Brandt Consolidated Inc.
  
Key developments:

In March 2020: Wilbur-Ellis Company launched a unique blend of surfactants, EMBRECE-EATM. This type of surfactant is designed to improve the performance of fungicides, miticides, and insecticides by increasing the wetness and spread of the spray materials.

In October 2018: Croda International launched and certified its ECO range of biobased surfactants. The new 100% bio-based and renewable range of non-ionic surfactants is the widest commercially available. Additionally, it is certified to meet the criteria of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) BioPreferred program.

In September 2020: BASF Care Chemicals North America announced that it had raised the prices of certain sulfate, fatty alcohol, and betaine product lines. Betaine amphoteric surfactants are commonly used in shower gels, bath soaps, shampoo, and skin cleansers.

Types Covered: 
• Amphoteric   
• Anionic  
• Cationic   
• Non-Ionic     

Crop Type Covered:
• Non-Crop-Based (Turf & Ornamentals)
• Crop-Based    

Propagation Methods Covered:
• Foliar Spray 
• Seed Treatment   
• Soil Treatment
     
Substrate Types Covered:
• Bio-Based    
• Synthetic
     
Applications Covered:
• Fungicides   
• Herbicides   
• Insecticides   
• Pesticides   
• Other Applications
    
Regions Covered:
• North America
o US
o Canada
o Mexico
• Europe
o Germany
o UK
o Italy
o France
o Spain
o Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
o Japan       
o China       
o India       
o Australia 
o New Zealand
o South Korea
o Rest of Asia Pacific   
• South America
o Argentina
o Brazil
o Chile
o Rest of South America
• Middle East & Africa
o Saudi Arabia
o UAE
o Qatar
o South Africa
o Rest of Middle East & Africa

What our report offers:
- Market share assessments for the regional and country-level segments
- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants
- Covers Market data for the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025 and 2028
- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)
- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations
- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends
- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments
- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements

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