Report

The Asia Pacific Herbicide Market size is estimated at 7.55 billion USD in 2025, and is expected to reach 9.97 billion USD by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.73% during the forecast period (2025-2030).

The market is being driven by increasing weed infestation and associated yield losses in crops


- The Asia-Pacific region is home to a diverse range of crops, encompassing staple food crops like rice, wheat, corn, and soybeans, as well as cash crops such as cotton, sugarcane, fruits, and vegetables, which face challenges from several weed species. In 2022, the soil treatment method accounted for the largest share of 46.8% in the Asia-Pacific herbicide market, representing a value of USD 3.0 billion. Soil treatment involves the direct application of herbicides to the soil, serving as an effective means of weed control. This method can be utilized either before planting or after crop emergence, targeting weed seeds, seedlings, or established weeds present in the soil.
- In 2022, foliar application of herbicides held a market share of 32.6% and was valued at USD 2.1 billion. This method is highly effective in targeting broadleaf weeds, sedges, grasses, and even aquatic weeds. By directly applying herbicides to the foliage of these weeds, maximum absorption and control can be achieved. The flexibility of foliar application allows farmers to target weeds during their active growth stages for optimal results.
- In 2022, chemigation accounted for 18.9% of herbicide application methods, valued at USD 1.2 billion. This growth is attributed to the increasing adoption of micro-irrigation systems and the ease of herbicide application, ensuring uniform distribution throughout the cropland.
- Fumigation can provide effective and targeted weed control, especially in enclosed environments where other methods may be less effective. It can reach weed seeds, root systems, and weed propagules that are difficult to control through other means.
- Owing to the advantages and specificity of each method, the market for each method is anticipated to grow during the forecast period.

The use of herbicides for major crops like rice is growing across the region


- The herbicide market in Asia-Pacific witnessed steady growth during the historical period, with the region occupying a significant share of the global herbicide market in 2022. Butachlor, propanil, pretilachlor, 2,4-D, bispyribac-sodium, and cyhalofop-butyl are the commonly used herbicides in the region.
- Rice is by far the most important crop in Asia; the region accounts for 90% of the world's production and consumption of rice. Herbicides are mostly used for grains and cereals in the Asia-Pacific as the region is the largest exporter and producer of staple grains such as rice. The grains & cereals segment occupied a share of 56.6% by value in 2022.
- Many countries in the region have adopted the Integrated weed Management method that entails the use of all available compatible control tactics to minimize yield losses. Newly introduced weeds that would require immediate eradication before they spread to other areas can be controlled with the use of herbicides. It was observed that combining cultural management practices and judicious herbicide usage resulted in higher yields of about 10% to 15% in the Nueva Ecija and Iloilo provinces of the Philippines, respectively.
- However, the occurrence of herbicide resistance in weed populations presents a big challenge as it limits herbicide choices for effective weed management. At the same time, governments of various countries like Japan are investing in research initiatives to discover new weeds and their subsequent herbicides. Such policies are encouraging farmers to adopt crop protection practices that aim to contribute to the growth of the segment. The segment is expected to record a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period (2023-2029).


Asia Pacific Herbicide Market Trends



Increased weed infestations in major crops like rice need efficient weed control, boosting the per hectare herbicide consumption


- In the Asia-Pacific region, the use of herbicides per hectare significantly increased over the historical period. This is due to the prevalence of weeds in agriculture, which are acting as vectors for a variety of diseases, resulting in an increase in fungal infections and crop loss in the region. Japan experienced a significant rise in herbicide consumption per hectare over the historical period, which was estimated to be approximately 7% higher than the rest of the Asia-Pacific region. The increasing use of herbicides per hectare in the country is attributed to a combination of factors, including the aging of farmers, a lack of labor, and an increase in agricultural land. This resulted in a shift from manual weeding to the use of herbicides for weed management in major crops such as rice and soybeans.
- Myanmar ranks second in the region in terms of herbicide consumption per hectare, with 2,200 grams of herbicide per hectare consumed in 2022, an increase over the 1,600 grams consumed in 2017. This increase is largely attributed to the implementation of appropriate weed management techniques to control weeds and enhance agricultural production in key crops such as rice. The average yield losses in rice crops due to weeds are approximately 65% and 34% in the dry and wet seasons, respectively. Farmers in the country are majorly reliant on herbicide products to control weeds in major crops, which has led to increased consumption of herbicides per hectare.
- Overall, in the Asia-Pacific region, herbicide use per hectare increased Y-o-Y in all countries except China, as weed infestations increased in the major crops. However, China is using other weed control methods as it implements zero growth policies in pesticides.


Climate change causing stress to crop plants, thus leading to increased weed growth driving the market


- Metribuzin is a selective and systemic herbicide used to control broadleaf weeds in major crops like corn, sugarcane, potatoes, and tomatoes by inhibiting photosynthesis. In 2022, it was priced at USD 16.6 thousand per metric ton.
- Atrazine is an herbicide widely used for the control of broadleaf and grassy weeds like Echinocloa, Elusine spp., and Amaranthus viridis in maize and rice crops. The herbicide was valued at a price of USD 13.8 thousand in 2022.
- Paraquat is the active ingredient in Gramoxone, which is used to control weeds and grasses. It is also used for the desiccation of crops, like cotton, prior to harvest. Paraquat was valued at a price of USD 4.6 thousand per metric ton in 2022. China is a major paraquat export country, and over 80% of its paraquat output is exported to countries worldwide.
- Pendimethalin is a selective pre-emergence herbicide valued at USD 3.3 thousand per metric ton in 2022. It offers broad-spectrum control of annual grasses and broadleaf weeds in potato, tobacco, sorghum, rice, and sugarcane crops. Similarly, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a common systemic herbicide that was valued at a price of USD 2.3 thousand per metric ton in 2022. It is used in the control of broadleaf weeds in turf, lawn, field, fruit, and vegetable crops.
- Glyphosate is an organophosphorus broad-spectrum systemic herbicide and crop desiccant, priced at USD 1.1 thousand per metric ton in 2022. Glyphosate is mainly used to control weeds like grasses, sedges, and broadleaves.
- Climate change can cause damage and stress to plants and be detrimental to plant health as they cannot survive in extreme stress conditions, leading to increased weed growth. This further leads to an increase in herbicide demand, thereby boosting the prices of active ingredients.


Asia Pacific Herbicide Industry Overview

The Asia Pacific Herbicide Market is moderately consolidated, with the top five companies occupying 50.02%. The major players in this market are Bayer AG, Corteva Agriscience, Nufarm Ltd, Syngenta Group and UPL Limited (sorted alphabetically).

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