| Study Period | 2019 - 2032 |
| 2024 Market Size | USD 4.5 Billion |
| 2025 Market Size | USD 5.0 Billion |
| 2032 Forecast | USD 11.6 Billion |
| Growth Rate (CAGR) | 12.8% |
| Largest Region | Europe |
| Fastest Growing Region | APAC |
| Nature of the Market | Fragmented |
| Largest Application Category | Foliar Treatment |
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The global biostimulants market size stood at USD 4.5 billion in 2024, which is expected to reach USD 11.6 billion by 2032, advancing at a CAGR of 12.8% during 2025–2032. This is due to the promulgating demand for food coupled with the rising global population and the increasing hunger and malnutrition coupled with adverse climate changes. In addition, the overexploitation of natural resources by human activities, loss of biodiversity, and wastage of food are other factors driving the industry growth.
Furthermore, there is an augmented demand for sustainably produced food, with a higher concentration of biologicals, and a lesser concentration of synthetic chemicals, which is driving the demand for biostimulants all over the world. Also, the rising consumer awareness about the benefits associated with organic foods, the implementation of organic regulations, and the adoption of Global Good Agricultural Practices policies propel the market expansion.
Moreover, the rising agricultural emissions have encouraged regulatory bodies all over the world to upscale the production of high-quality agricultural goods having no greenhouse gas emissions, which can only be possible through the use of biostimulants, thereby leading to the high demand for these products.
In recent years, prominent players have vigorously involved themselves in the development of advanced agricultural substances, which is augmenting the domain size. For instance, UPL Australia Ltd. launched a new range of biostimulants based on GoActiv Technology, which is intended to address specific crop physiological "pain points" or abiotic stresses in fruits, vegetables, vines, and tree crops.
Globally, there has been an increased focus on the importance of a healthy lifestyle and the benefits of nutritional food. Moreover, with the increase in population worldwide, the demand for food products is likely to increase, thereby boosting the need for biostimulants. Additionally, these substances help diminish the amount of abiotic stress in plants. These factors are, thus, expected to drive the industry expansion in the upcoming period.
The amino acid category held a largest market share in 2024, of 55%, in terms of value, due to the surging demand for this chemical, owing to its high sustainable qualities, economic feasibility, and plant improvement traits. Amino acids like humic acid and fulvic acid are the key ingredients responsible for the stimulation of seed germination and metabolic processes in plants, leading to the increase in sales of these products.
In addition, the high demand for humic acid is primarily attributed to the rise in the need for this chemical to boost agricultural production of cereals & grains, oilseeds & pulses, and fruits & vegetables, by enhancing their root growth, primary and secondary metabolism, nutrient uptake, and crop tolerance to environmental stresses.
Furthermore, the increasing use of humic acid in animal feed and the growing awareness about the health benefits of this chemical also drive the market in this category. Salts of these substances known as humates are increasingly being used to reduce toxic effects from heavy metals, pesticides, and herbicides, among several others. Humic-fulvic acid complex helps repair, regenerate, and restore cells as well as improve brain functions. Hence, the increasing humic-fulvic complex demand as a nutrient supplement in healthcare and dietary applications is projected to bolster the domain size in the coming years.
The seaweed extract category is expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. This is because it is a key ingredient for plant growth hormones (cytokines, auxins, gibberellins) and alimentary metal elements (nitrogen, potassium, manganese, iron, aluminum), which are responsible for significant plant development and productivity. Seaweed protein is mainly present in red, green, and brown algae, which are high in demand due to their elevated efficacy for the promotion of plant development.
The following active ingredients have been analyzed:
The foliar treatment category accounted for the largest biostimulants market share in 2024. This is due to its rising applications in the production of field crops and horticultural crops, the increasing number of indoor farms, and their sudden effectiveness on plant health. Moreover, water-soluble formulations containing glycine betaine, chelated nutrients, and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) molecules are mainly used in plants, due to their high absorption rate in comparison to insoluble solutions.
A foliar feeding method is an effective tool for correcting soil deficiencies and overcoming soil’s inability to transfer nutrients to plants under low moisture conditions, which leads to an increase in its demand. In addition, the substantial reduction in arable land during the past few years has promptly led to the use of these substances by farmers to ensure the optimum use of land for cultivation. The necessity for the production of crops having a high yield has led to the use of foliar fertilizers, which is expected to offer lucrative growth opportunities during the forecast period.
Seed treatment is the fastest-growing category, with an 13% CAGR. Applying biostimulants with the seed application method at planting is a successful and emerging techniques for soil management to improve crop yields. The seed application method has various advantages over other methods of application, which include less field operations, emphasize conservation tillage to improve soil water management, reduce erosion by maintaining adequate residue on the soil surface and use high residue seeding equipment.
These application methods are covered in the report:
The row crops category dominated the market size in 2024 with a revenue share of 60%. This is on account of the various growth perspectives offered by row crops like corn, cotton, soybeans, wheat, and sugar beets, to companies, owing to their wide cultivation all over the world. Various biostimulants like Indole-3-acetic acid, amino acid, and polyamine are being adopted in the agricultural field to overcome barriers to plant cell division and development. In addition, the high demand for organic cereals, such as millets and oats, and the recognition and acceptance of organic farming are positively influencing the market growth in this category. As per the FAO, cereals are the most-widely grown type of crop, accounting for a production output of 3.1 billion tonnes in 2022.
The fruits and vegetables category is expected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period. With increasing focus on sustainable agricultural techniques, the use of organic fertilizers or biostimulants that can be applied in agriculture to improve qualitative/quantitative crop yields has encountered increasing interest. Biostimulants are gaining importance for its possible use in organic and sustainable agriculture, to avoid excessive fertilizer applications. The application on herbaceous crops including vegetable, such as cauliflower, pepper, fennel, fruits and others has shown significant growth in yield in an eco-friendly manner. The awareness among consumer for diet based on greater consumption of fruits and vegetables without the risk of pesticide and with increased nutritional value has further increased biostimulants consumption. The FAO says that global fruit and vegetable production reached 2.1 billion tonnes in 2022, growing by a massive 63% from 2000.
The report offers insights into these crop types:
The liquid category accounted for the larger revenue share in 2024, and it will also witness the higher CAGR during the forecast period, of 14%. This is owing to the ease of transportation and application on plants of liquid biostimulants. In addition, the liquid form allows for faster nutrient absorption by leaves, improves nutrient uptake, and increases cellular activity, which is leading to an increase in the sales of biostimulants in liquid form.
These forms are part of the research scope:
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Europe held the largest biostimulants market share, of 45%, in 2024, owing to the increased agronomic products demand and the changing consumer habits toward organic and eco-friendly products. Further, the need to restore degraded soil and the availability of numerous variants of acid and extract-based biostimulants for different crop types also drive the regional market size.
In addition, the prominent players are actively involving themselves in the launch of advanced products, which is expanding the regional sector size. For instance, BIOIBERICA S.A.U. joins the European Biostimulants Industry Council, to reaffirm its commitment to the development of biostimulants and more sustainable agriculture. The company brings Enzyneer, a technology for extracting L-α-amino acid and other bioactive compounds, with which it obtains biostimulants having a phytohormonal activity.
France, Italy, and Spain are the major consumers of biostimulants in the European continent. This is predominantly due to the high consumption of these products, as well as a surge in the export activities of these products to other parts of the world. Additionally, the development of various start-ups in these countries in recent years is another factor burgeoning the regional market growth.
The APAC market is expected to register the highest CAGR in the forecast period, of 15%. This can be ascribed to the increase in the adoption of sustainable agricultural policies in countries like India and China. In addition, the endorsement of high-quality agricultural goods by key manufacturers in the region is significantly contributing to the generation of significant revenue. Also, the continuously increasing need for food production coupled with the burgeoning population size is further intensifying the regional industry outlook.
The FAO says that Asia has the largest agricultural area in the world, at 1.7 billion hectares in 2021, almost 30% of which was in China. Further, 75% of the agricultural land in South Asia is cropland, extending 240 million hectares. Additionally, in 2021, India possessed the largest agricultural area in the world, extending 168 million hectares.
Here is the geographical breakdown of the market:
The market is fragmented as agrochemicals are a well-known category of products, not difficult or financially intensive to produce in bulk. As a result, a large number of global and local companies are able to supply biostimulants in adequate quantities. Moreover, in emerging economies, local brands often have better distribution capabilities than global companies, through wholesalers, retailers, and government agencies, and co-operatives. Another reason for the market fragmentation is their price sensitivity and relative lack of knowledge among farmers in developing countries of international brands, which drives sales of low-cost local agrochemicals.
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