SPECIALTY PESTICIDES MARKET ANALYSIS

Specialty Pesticides Market Size and Trends

Global specialty pesticides market is estimated to be valued at USD 22.35 Bn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 32.17 Bn by 2031, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3% from 2024 to 2031.

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Specialty pesticides are used in a variety of applications such as household insecticides, termite control, wood treatment, and others. Increased awareness about health and hygiene along with rising prevalence of hospital acquired infections is expected to drive the demand for antiseptics and disinfectants. Stringent regulations regarding sterilization and disinfection of medical devices and healthcare facilities are also boosting the market growth. Growing usage of antiseptics and disinfectants in veterinary and food processing industries is further expected to support market expansion through 2031.

Market Driver - Increasing demand for high-yield and pest-resistant crops

The global food demand is rising continuously owing to the increasing population. On the other hand, arable land for agriculture is shrinking at an alarming rate due to rapid urbanization. Therefore, farmers are under tremendous pressure to produce more crops from existing agricultural land in order to meet the demand. This has led to increasing adoption of high-yield and pest-resistant crop varieties among farmers worldwide. Specialty pesticides that are specifically formulated to protect such crops play a vital role in boosting agricultural productivity.

Cereals and grains are among the important crops for which high-yield varieties are widely cultivated. However, these HYV crops also attract large infestation from various pests and diseases. Continuous planting of the same crop varieties increases susceptibility to pest attacks. Specialty pesticides such as biopesticides and others that contain bioactive ingredients targeted towards crop-specific pests help farmers protect such susceptible HYV crops. This ensures maximizing yields from existing farmlands. Even fruits and vegetables cultivation has greatly intensified in recent years. These perishable commodities require extensive protection from fungal, bacterial and viral diseases through specialty fungicides and bactericides.

Rising Awareness about Sustainable Farming Practices and Integrated Pest Management

There is growing concern around the world about the harmful effects of excessive agrochemical usage on the environment as well as human health. Continuous and indiscriminate spraying of broad-spectrum pesticides has led to myriad issues like biodiversity loss, soil and water pollution. Many pests are developing resistance to commonly used pesticide active ingredients at an alarming pace. Moreover, stricter regulations are being enacted in several countries pertaining to Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) of pesticides in crops. This is significantly boosting demand for ecofriendly specialty pest management products and integrated pest management programs.

IPM focuses on monitoring pest population levels and employs cultural, mechanical, biological and chemical methods in an optimum combination for managing pests. Specialty pesticides have a key role to play in IPM as they target specific pests and are less harmful for natural enemies of pests. Biopesticides derived from natural materials like plants, animals, bacteria, and certain minerals are gaining widespread acceptance among IPM practicing farmers. Similarly, newer generation semio-chemicals that mimic natural insect pheromones are enabling effective trapping of pests. Sustainability oriented farmers also prefer reduced risk pesticides during the last stages of crop cultivation as part of IPM. All these factors are fueling growth of specialty pesticides market.