Soybean pesticide market grows 50% in Brazil to US$11.4 bn

Oilseed rape continued to be the main crop, followed by corn and sugar cane.

In terms of crop protection sectors, herbicides were number one, accounting for 35% of sales or US$4.1 billion, an increase of 70% compared to the 2021-22 harvest (~US$2.4 billion). Historically, fungicides have led the ranking of the most representative agrochemicals in soy.

With glyphosate the most important active in oilseed rape harvest, it is unsurprising to see this account for 60% of transactions within herbicide sales. Price points of herbicides have themselves increased, in part due to the increase in the cost of key molecules.

Specific herbicides have also increased in adoption in soy, such as pre- and post-emergents. These narrow sheets increased 46%, in 2018-19, to 77% in 2022-23. Increased resistance and stubborn weed challenge such as bitter grass and chicken foot grass has also led to increased popularity of pre-emergent treatments, rising in use 45% from 34% in 2020-21. These products create a ‘film’ over the soil, preventing weeds from sprouting and in turn controlling the latent seed bank in arable or recent grassland.