Biological Control Agents Market - A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Product, Application, and Country Analysis - Analysis and Forecast, 2022-2027

Global Biological Control Agents Market to Reach $11 Billion by 2027

The global biological control agents market was valued at $4.80 billion in 2021, which is expected to grow with a CAGR of 14.96% and reach $11 billion by 2027. The growth in the global biological control agents market is expected to be driven by increasing awareness regarding the harmful effects of chemical plant protection products, demand for organic food, and the advantages of biological control agents over the conventional chemical control products.

Market Lifecycle Stage

The biological control agents market is still in the growing phase. Increased research and development collaborations, partnerships and other activities are underway to develop and expand the biological control agents market, which are expected to increase due to the shift in consumer preference for organic food products.

Advancements and research in emerging economies is one of the major opportunities in the global biological control agents market.

Impact

With an increased worldwide focus on achieving sustainability, the shift to eco-friendly, sustainable, and organically produced products brings significant sales and financing opportunities. The shift is more prominent in the food and beverages industry in regions such as North America and Europe. Thus, biological control agents products form the basis for the suitability criteria in agriculture. Hence, food produced with the organically produced raw material is a great option available for the consumers in the market demanding organic food such as organic fruits and vegetables.

Impact of COVID-19

Due to COVID-19, the transfer of plant protection products (PPPs) from local or other foreign sources to the ground use level was limited. The demand for heavy investments in biological crop protection increased. This increase occurred as COVID-19 impacted people regarding food security and made a shift to organic food consumption to ensure more robust supply chains. This has driven the demand for new product formulations such as bio fungicides, biopesticides, and bio stimulants, in the crop protection industry. This move may be attributed to the limited availability of traditional chemical products. Also, the limited supply increased the cost of chemical crop protection products. In manufacturing conventional agrochemical products, raw materials are used, and China, the leader in providing the raw material, was stuck in the lockdown. Thus, COVID- 19 forced the growers to look for other chemical alternatives. Hence, COVID-19 has impacted the growth of the biological control agents market.

Market Segmentation

by Crop (Cereals, Fruits and Vegetables, Pulses and Oilseeds, Others

The global biological control agents market in the crop application segment is expected to be dominated by fruits and vegetables. The high market share and growth potential associated with fruits and vegetables as an application for biological control agents is attributed to the high chances of pest attacks on the vegetables and fruits.

by Mode of Application (Seed Treatment, Foliar Spray, Soil Treatment, Others)

The global biological control agents market in the mode of application segment is expected to be dominated by seed treatment. The high market share and growth potential associated with seed treatment as a mode of application for biological control agents is attributed to the great success rate offered by this mode of application.

by Target (Arthropods, Weeds, Microorganisms)

The global biological control agents market in the target application segment is expected to be dominated by arthropods. The high market share and growth potential associated with arthropods target application for biological control agents stems from the high-risk potential of arthropod attack on the yield and the damage it can cause.

by Region

• North America - U.S., Canada, and Mexico
• South America - Brazil, Argentina
• Europe - Germany, France, and Spain
• U.K.
• Middle East and Africa - Israel and South Africa
• China
• Asia Pacific - Japan, India, and Australia and New Zealand

North America generated the highest revenue of $1,675.89 million in 2021. North America is also expected to have a significant share of revenue during the year 2022-2027. Thus, in North America region, the biological control agents market is growing at a tremendous rate and will grow with a high CAGR 14.72% during the forecast period 2022-2027.

Recent Developments in Global Biological Control Agents Market

• In March 2022, Bioceres Crop Solutions announced the merge agreement with Marrone Bio Innovations in an all-stock transaction. Bioceres' biological-based solutions (bio nutrition and seed care) would be combined with Marrone Bio's product portfolio and development pipeline for biological crop protection and plant health (bio nutrition and biostimulant products).
• In August 2021, Terramera, a global agtech pioneer and originator of Actigate technology, collaborated with Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc. to combine their technological and biological knowledge to improve crop protection product effectiveness and speed up product development.
• In April 2021, Biological Services, an Australian company, was acquired by Biobest Group NV. The two companies teamed up to begin a new age of biological control services in Australia.
• In February 2021, United Phosphorous Ltd. and Novozymes announced a collaboration to bring a variety of biological products to the Argentine market. Novozymes' biological products marketed under the Nitragin was then included in the UPL’s portfolio, giving the company a complete range of biosolutions and crop protection products.
• In September 2020, BASF acquired the proprietary Glu-L technology for L-glufosinate ammonium from AgriMetis. With the help of this acquisition, the company aims to offer its customers more efficient products to protect against unwanted weeds with an improved formulation.

Demand - Drivers and Limitations

Following are the demand drivers for the biological control agents market:

• Increasing Awareness Regarding the Harmful Effects of Chemical Plant Protection Products
• Increasing Demand for Organic Food
• Advantages of Using Biological Control Agents over Chemical Products

The market is expected to face some limitations too due to the following challenges:

• Limited Shelf-Life of Biological Control Products
• Farmers’ Inhibitions Toward Biological Control Agents

How can this report add value?

Product/Innovation Strategy: The product segment helps the reader understand the different types of biological control agents products available, which are categorized into two categories, i.e., microbials and macrobials. Microbial-based products include active agents such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and nematodes. On the other hand, macrobial includes the predators and parasitoids.

Growth/Marketing Strategy: The global biological control agents market has seen major development by key players operating in the market, such as business expansion, partnership, collaboration, and joint venture. The favoured strategy for the companies has been partnerships and collaborations to strengthen their position in the biological control agents market. For instance, in February 2021, FMC Corporation, an agricultural sciences leader, formed a strategic partnership with Novozymes, the world player in biological solutions, to research, co-develop, and commercialize biological enzyme-based crop protection solutions for producers throughout the world.

Competitive Strategy: Key players in the global biological control agents market analyzed and profiled in the study involve microbials and microbials based product providers. Moreover, a detailed competitive benchmarking of the players operating in the global biological control agents market has been done to help the reader understand how players stack against each other, presenting a clear market landscape. Additionally, comprehensive competitive strategies such as partnerships, agreements, and collaborations will aid the reader in understanding the untapped revenue pockets in the market.

Key Market Players and Competition Synopsis

The companies that are profiled have been selected based on inputs gathered from primary experts and analyzing company coverage, product portfolio, and market penetration.

The top segment players leading the market include microbials-based product providers, and those who actively provide products based on both microbials and macrobials. As of 2022, players in the microbial industry capture around 61.67% of the presence in the market, and players in the second category account for around 38.33% of the presence in the market.

Some of the prominent players operating in this market are:

Company Type 1: Microbials-Based Product Providers

• AGBIOME, LLC
• Andermatt Group AG
• BASF SE
• Bayer AG
• Certis USA L.L.C.
• Corteva
• Nufarm
• Rizobacter
• Syngenta AG
• United Phosphorous Ltd.
• Valent BioSciences LLC

Company Type 2: Microbials and Macrobials-Based Product Providers

• Biobest Group NV
• Gowan Company, L.L.C.
• Koppert
• Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc.