Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market Analysis
The Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market size is estimated at USD 8.32 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach USD 11.72 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 7.10% during the forecast period (2025-2030).
The fruit and vegetable crop protection market plays a pivotal role in the agriculture industry, concentrating on products and strategies that shield crops from pests, diseases, and environmental challenges. This market is witnessing consistent growth, fueled by escalating concerns over food security, a burgeoning global population, and a societal shift towards healthier dietary choices. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projects the world population will surge by over a third, equating to an additional 2.3 billion people, from 2009 to 2050. Concurrently, global per capita income is on an upward trajectory. This combination of rising incomes and a growing populace signals an uptick in global demand for food, particularly fruits and vegetables.
Worldwide, the consumption of fruits and vegetables is climbing, spurred by a growing recognition of their health advantages. However, an annual report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) complicates matters for consumers. This report ranks produce items based on pesticide levels, introducing potential confusion regarding the healthiest selections. The EWG's "Dirty Dozen" list spotlights fruits and vegetables with heightened pesticide residues. As consumers become more discerning about their food choices and their health and environmental ramifications, market players are transitioning from synthetic to bio-based chemicals. By adopting biopesticides, farmers can notably diminish toxicity risks within the food chain.
Demand for pesticides, particularly herbicides, has surged recently, largely due to threats from pests and diseases impacting domestic horticultural production. For instance, data from FAOSTAT indicates that global herbicide usage for agriculture rose from 1.8 million metric tons in 2021 to 1.9 million metric tons in 2022. A case in point is the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), a significant pathogen for crops in the country. The Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) reported six outbreaks of this virus in England's commercial tomato production sites in 2020. Such recurrent disease outbreaks are pivotal drivers for the heightened use of crop protection chemicals in the nation.
Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market Trends
Herbicides are a Significant Segment by Type
Herbicides are the significant crop protection market for fruits and vegetables, playing a vital role in weed management. By effectively controlling a wide range of weeds, herbicides help maximize the yield and quality of fruits and vegetables. Moreover, herbicides offer a significant advantage over manual or mechanical weeding by cutting down labor costs and time. This efficiency is increasingly crucial as agricultural labor costs continue to rise.
With a global surge in demand for fruits and vegetables, farmers face mounting pressure to boost their yields. Herbicides are instrumental in ensuring weeds don't siphon off vital nutrients and water from crops, thereby enhancing farmer productivity. This escalating demand for higher yields is propelling herbicide production. For instance, data from FAOSTAT indicates that global herbicide usage for agriculture rose from 1.8 million metric tons in 2021 to 1.9 million metric tons in 2022.
Additionally, there's a burgeoning global appetite for bio-based herbicides. Crafted from renewable resources, bio-based herbicides are poised to become the fastest-growing segment in the herbicide market. Common chemicals in herbicide production include amide, sodium chlorate, and sulfuric acid. In the UK, there's a notable uptick in the adoption of bioherbicides—microbial agents for weed control—especially in integrated pest management, alongside traditional synthetic herbicides. While currently a niche segment, bioherbicides are projected to experience robust growth.
Asia-Pacific dominates the Market
Asia-Pacific's vast arable land and diverse climates support a wide range of crops, including fruits and vegetables. Regions like Southeast Asia, with their tropical and subtropical climates, benefit from multiple cropping seasons, maximizing production output. Furthermore, housing over half the world's population, the Asia-Pacific region boasts a massive domestic food demand. This demand drives high production levels, particularly in staple crops like rice, as well as in fruits and vegetables that are dietary staples in many Asian countries.
China leads the Asia-Pacific in the market for fruit and vegetable crop protection chemicals. With a population surpassing 1.4 billion, China's demand for fruits and vegetables is immense, given their dietary significance. To satisfy this demand, farmers prioritize protecting their crops from pests, diseases, and weeds, which in turn boosts the usage of crop protection products. Additionally, as a major exporter of fruits and vegetables, especially to Asian and Western markets with stringent quality standards, Chinese farmers are compelled to ensure their produce is free from blemishes, pest damage, and contamination. This necessity further amplifies the demand for crop protection products.
Japan, a significant grower of fruits and vegetables, stands out as the primary user of fungicides. (Succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors) SDHI fungicides find extensive application in Japan's vegetable sector. Similarly, in India, a leading producer of fruits and vegetables catering to both domestic and global demands, the judicious use of fungicides is crucial for disease control. Carboxin-based fungicides are employed to ward off flag smut, loose smut, and bunt in wheat crops. FAO statistics highlight the trend: as the harvest area for fruits expanded from 7.4 million hectares in 2021 to 7.5 million hectares in 2022, the prevalence of fungicide application surged correspondingly.
Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Industry Overview
The Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market is highly consolidated, with players including Adama Agricultural Solutions Ltd., BASF SE, Bayer Cropscience AG, Corteva Agriscience, and Syngenta International AG dominating the market across different geographical regions. A large number of mergers and acquisitions is a key highlight of the competitive landscape in this market. Heavy investments in research and development are being made by the major players in this industry.
Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market Leaders
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Adama Agricultural Solutions Ltd.
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BASF SE
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Bayer Cropscience AG
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Corteva Agriscience
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Syngenta International AG
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market News
- August 2024: FMC India, a leader in agricultural sciences, launched two groundbreaking fungicides, VELZO and COSUIT. These products aim to safeguard fruits and vegetables from harmful fungal diseases, starting from the onset of the crop cycle.
- May 2024: BASF introduced its new insecticide, Cimegra, offering Australian farmers effective, flexible, and long-lasting protection for their crops, including fruits and vegetables.
- January 2023: Bayer formed a new partnership with Oerth Bio to enhance crop protection technology and create more eco-friendly crop protection solutions. Through this partnership, the company was seeking Oerth Bio’s solutions of reduced application rates and advantageous safety profiles through protein degradation technology in agricultural chemicals, including fungicides.
Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Industry Segmentation
Crop protection chemicals have been defined for this report as commercially manufactured agrochemicals used to prevent crop destruction by pests, diseases, and weeds, thereby improving crop yield and quality. The Global Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market is segmented by Origin (Synthetic and Bio-Based), Type (Herbicides, Fungicides, Insecticides, and Other Types), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Africa). The report offers market estimation and forecast of the report in terms of value in (USD) for the above-mentioned segments.
Origin | Synthetic | ||
Bio-based | |||
Type | Herbicides | ||
Fungicides | |||
Insecticides | |||
Other Types | |||
Geography | North America | United States | |
Canada | |||
Mexico | |||
Rest of North America | |||
Europe | Germany | ||
Spain | |||
United Kingdom | |||
France | |||
Italy | |||
Russia | |||
Rest of Europe | |||
Asia-Pacific | China | ||
India | |||
Australia | |||
Japan | |||
Rest of Asia-Pacific | |||
South America | Brazil | ||
Argentina | |||
Rest of South America | |||
Africa | South Africa | ||
Rest of Africa |
Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market Research Faqs
How big is the Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market?
The Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market size is expected to reach USD 8.32 billion in 2025 and grow at a CAGR of 7.10% to reach USD 11.72 billion by 2030.
What is the current Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market size?
In 2025, the Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market size is expected to reach USD 8.32 billion.
Who are the key players in Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market?
Adama Agricultural Solutions Ltd., BASF SE, Bayer Cropscience AG, Corteva Agriscience and Syngenta International AG are the major companies operating in the Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market.
Which is the fastest growing region in Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market?
North America is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period (2025-2030).
Which region has the biggest share in Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market?
In 2025, the Asia Pacific accounts for the largest market share in Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market.
What years does this Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market cover, and what was the market size in 2024?
In 2024, the Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market size was estimated at USD 7.73 billion. The report covers the Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market historical market size for years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The report also forecasts the Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Market size for years: 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030.
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Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection Industry Report
Statistics for the 2025 Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection market share, size and revenue growth rate, created by Mordor Intelligence™ Industry Reports. Fruit & Vegetable Crop Protection analysis includes a market forecast outlook for 2025 to 2030 and historical overview. Get a sample of this industry analysis as a free report PDF download.