Kline’s Professional Turf and Ornamental: Markets for Pesticides and Fertilizers study analyzes and quantifies the use of pesticides for weed and disease control for 21 key country markets. The study highlights three market segments (golf, other lawn care, and nurseries/greenhouses) and the five categories (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, biopesticides, and biostimulants). In this blog, we highlight some of the report’s insights, with a focus on Australia and France. In subsequent blogs, we will cover several other countries included in the study—so keep an eye on our AG/Specialty pesticides blog section.
AUSTRALIA
The 2020 appraisal of the Australian turf & ornamental market includes the level of consumed pesticides versus biological solutions, as well as the specific local drivers and business opportunities up to 2025.
Pesticides sales are equally shared between the two leading segments: golf and lawn care, together accounting for 85% of total sales. Horticulture sales are minor in Australia. The golf sector is increasing, following GDP, which despite a decline in 2020 is forecast to rebound. An increasing number of golf players is also driving growth. In lawn, herbicides sales have increased due to the shift toward greener products. Nurseries/horticulture sales of pesticides have increased due to GDP growth and higher population incomes. Herbicides and fungicides combined account for 77% of total sales. Therefore, biostimulants and biopesticides represent minor sales compared to chemical pesticides, but sales are increasing.
The Australian market is highly consolidated, with a few leading suppliers holding more than 80% of overall sales.
Outlook: The pesticides market for professional turf and ornamental in Australia is mature and grows flat; however, biological products offer growth potential.
FRANCE
The appraisal of pesticides and fertilizers for the turf & ornamental market in France highlights the growing and declining segments of the French market, as well as the singular perspectives of the development of France up to 2025.
Chemical pesticides have significantly declined compared to biological products. The French market is characterized by a subsequent breakthrough of sales of biostimulants.
The local market is dominated by the horticulture segment, biological products, and herbicides and fungicides. Meanwhile, the insecticides category is minor and declining, and with no sales in the lawn care sector, the number of French nurseries/greenhouses is in decline, affected by European competition. Golf course numbers are also declining. This results in a decline of chemical pesticides as well. The latter decline is also driven by a strict regulation (Law Labbe) and changes in professional practices and public opinion.
Outlook: Biological products still have large amounts of growth, driven by the application of the second part of the Law Labbe (January 2022) and by public opinion in favor of biological products. On the contrary and for the same reasons, chemical pesticides will continue declining. The largest decline will occur to chemical pesticides in horticulture but will be offset by the development of biological products in the same segment.
