Market Trends of europe micronutrient fertilizer Industry
The cultivation area of field crops is steadily rising to meet domestic needs and export demand
- Field crops, such as rapeseed, wheat, rye, and triticale, are the main winter crops in Europe, while maize, sunflowers, rice, and soybean are summer crops. Both winter and spring types of barley are widely available. The area harvested under major food crops in Europe has been steadily increasing, primarily due to the growing population and increasing demand for food grains. Field crops accounted for 78.5 thousand ha in 2017, which increased to 108 thousand ha in 2022.
- The European Union harvested 282.7 million tons of common wheat in 2022, the equivalent of 54.0% of all cereal grains harvested. This was 11.0 million tons more than in 2020, an increase of 9.3%. This upturn reflected a rise in the area harvested (up 5.6% to 21.8 million hectares) and improved apparent yields.
- Between 2019 and 2022, there was a notable 34% decline in the harvested area within the region. Despite this overall reduction, the areas dedicated to corn/maize and wheat cultivation experienced increases of 11% and 2%, respectively, while the acreages for other field crops decreased during the same period. It is anticipated that farmers will augment their fertilizer usage during the 2023-2030 period, aiming to enhance yields and mitigate the impact of the overall decrease in harvested areas observed in recent years.
- Therefore, with rising pressure on farmers to improve yield and grain production to meet the growing demand and with the overall field crop cultivation area increasing, the fertilizer market is expected to grow significantly during the 2023-2030.
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Zinc has become the most used micronutrient fertilizer in the region
- Micronutrient deficiencies in European soils stem from factors such as leaching losses, excessive rainfall, and shallow soil profiles. In 2022, the average application of micronutrients for field crops in Europe stood at 3.85 kg/hectare. In 2022, zinc, copper, iron, manganese, and boron commanded the highest market values, with shares of 38.28%, 25.09%, 13.68%, 11.68%, 4.168%, and 0.021%, respectively. Manganese, with an average application rate of 9.33 kg/ha, led the pack, accounting for 11.68% of the total micronutrient fertilizer consumption in the region. Its scarcity severely hampers the production of key field crops like soy, wheat, sugarcane, and maize.
- Among the crops, wheat, sorghum, soybean, and cotton were the major consumers of micronutrient fertilizers, while corn and rice had a smaller share. In 2022, wheat topped the charts, consuming 11.54 kg/ha of manganese, 5.87 kg/ha of zinc, and 6.60 kg/ha of copper. Zinc emerged as the most widely used micronutrient fertilizer in the region, accounting for 38.28% of the total consumption in 2022, with an average application rate of 5.72 kg/ha. Copper, iron, and boron followed with average application rates of 6.31, 3.70, and 1.50 kg/ha, respectively.
- Micronutrients play a crucial role in providing balanced nutrition to crops, and their deficiency can hinder crop growth. As a result, the market for micronutrient fertilizers in Europe is witnessing growth, significantly fueled by the escalating prevalence of soil micronutrient deficiencies.
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OTHER KEY INDUSTRY TRENDS COVERED IN THE REPORT
- Climate change and extreme weather conditions are the major challenges in the expansion of horticulture cultivation
- Russia holds a major irrigation area in Europe, with 21.6% in 2022
- Manganese deficiency is a common problem in sandy soils and organic soils with a pH above 6
