Pesticieds are chemical compounds used for pest control. Pesticides comprise different groups such as herbicides (control of weeds), insecticides (control of crop-destroying insects), fungicides (destroying pathogenic fungi) and many others. They also include sterilizers (agents inducing infertility) and growth inhibitors.
Today’s alternative to chemical pesticides is represented by biopesticides. Active agents of biopesticides include various microorganisms – bacterial or fungal pathogens and viruses. Biopesticides are characterized by point-targeted action against a relatively limited range of pests. As a result, their impact on other species is minimized. In addition to their environmental safety and point target activity, biopesticides have another key benefit – low adjustability of pets.
Abercade Research Company provides an overview of biopesticide market of the North American countries - United States and Canada – based on the market study.
Canadian and U.S. markets of biopesticides form a large integrated regional market of North America. This integration is based on the common sales market and the operations of major regional producers. At the current stage, the share of North America makes up almost a half of the world market of biopesticides with an estimated amount of US$240-260M.
Key segments of consumption of biopesticides in Canada and America are given below:
a. organic agricultural industry
b. vegetable farming
c. orchard crops and berries
d. federal and municipal programs on the treatment of forestry, water resources and the care of green belts in urban zones, as well as the control of insects transmitting infectious diseases.
The U.S. and Canadian markets have about 250 registered products: 210 in the U.S. and 30 in Canada. Most of the commercially available products are bacterium-based – 60 % (126 brand names). Fungi are used as active agents in 25% of the products (61 compounds) and about 20 brands of insecticides and bactericides are virus-based.
The average annual rate of increment of biopesticide market reaches 8-10%.
At present, the share of biopesticides in the overall volume of pesticides’ market does not exceed 1%. However, in some sectors of their application, biopesticides hold a dominant position. Such segments are represented mainly by the programs on control of insects transmitting infectious diseases and forestry treatment against pests. The leadership of biopesticides in these segments is underlain by the following factors: 1) required high level of product safety and minimal toxicity for non-targeted species and 2) rapid decomposition in the environment without generating toxic waste. Currently, 24% of the North American pesticides market falls on the area of public health. The application of biopesticides in forest management makes up 14.5% of the regional market size. In addition to the above two areas, there is one more promising application of biopesticides - within the programs on maintaining biological balance and controlling invasive species in water basins.
According to estimations, the application of biopesticides in U.S. vegetable farming and gardening makes up US$23.5M and in organic agriculture practices – US$8.0M. Thus, about 25% of the market falls on the agrarian production segment. The estimated amount of biopesticide applications in floriculture is US$7.5M. The consumption of biopesticides has one specific characteristic: a significant share of biopesticides is used in individual backyards. The increased demand in this segment is caused by the willingness of consumers to avoid the application of toxic pesticides in the areas adjacent to their houses. The scale of application in this sector can be as high as one third of the overall market consumption.
Bacterial-agent-based products continue to play central role at the market of biopesticides. As to sales structure, the largest share falls on the bacterial products based on different strains of Bacillus thuringiensis. Sales of such bioinsecticides as Bt kurstaki and Bt aizawa amount to almost 37% of the aggregate sales volume. About 25% of the market is held by Bt israelensis-containing products which are used mostly to control insects-vectors of infectious diseases. Also, products from this group are used in small quantities to control two-winged pests in the agrarian production. In addition to Bti products, bacillus sphaericus- (their sales volume reaches about 8%of the market) and bacillus pumilus-based insecticides are involved actively in the control of two-winged pests. The market share of fungal products amounts to approximately 7% and viral products – 5%.
Cource: Abercade researches
