Market Trends of Canada Seed Treatment Industry
Increasing Pesticide Usage per Hectare
In 2022, Canada experienced a noteworthy upsurge in pesticide consumption per hectare increasing by 0.28 kg since 2018. This surge in consumption is linked to various factors reshaping the country's agricultural practices. Notably, climate change has altered weather patterns, presenting new challenges for farmers. As a result, there's been a growing reliance on effective seed treatments. These treatments not only help mitigate the unpredictable effects of weather on crop health but also curb overall pesticide use by preventing soil-borne and seed-borne diseases.
Confronted with challenges like plant-parasitic nematodes, soil-borne diseases, and a variety of insect pests, farmers are increasingly adopting seed treatments as a preemptive measure.
While soybeans, maize, wheat, and canola dominate Canada's crop landscape, they grapple with threats from nematodes and soil-borne diseases. These threats encompass root-lesion nematodes, root rots, fusarium species, cereal cyst nematodes, soybean cyst nematodes, rhizoctonia, pythium species, phomosis, seedling blights, and more. Given the escalating damage from these threats, there's a pronounced shift towards higher dosages in seed treatment applications.
Fungicides dominated the market
Fungicide seed treatment is widely utilized in various agricultural crops in Canada, including field and horticulture crops. Fungicides accounted for a 16.4% market share value of the overall North American seed treatment market in 2022. The rising awareness among growers about the benefits of fungicides in protecting seedlings and the necessity for improved productivity contributed to the increasing usage of fungicide seed treatment products.
The Canadian government and various organizations in the country have been promoting the use of seed treatments through initiatives and programs such as consultations aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability. These initiatives provide support, information, and resources to farmers, encouraging them to adopt seed treatments as part of their crop management practices.
The market also offers opportunities for seed treatment companies to provide innovative fungicides and cater to the evolving needs of Canadian farmers.
