Nematicides market value increases tenfold in eight harvests

The Brazilian market for nematicides, specific products for controlling nematodes in agriculture, grew tenfold in eight harvests, according to the most recent FarmTrak study, from consultancy Kynetec. According to the company, these inputs generated R$1,6 billion in the 2021-22 cycle, compared to R$160 million in the 2014-15 period. Nematodes, experts say, are pests in the form of microscopic worms in soil and water, capable of causing losses of up to 90% in the production of relevant crops.

Market intelligence analyst at Kynetec, Gabriel Pedroso highlights that soybeans accounted for 52% of business involving nematicides in the last harvest (R$806 million), followed by sugarcane: 23% or R$363 million. Corn, cotton, coffee, potatoes and 14 other crops investigated, combined, resulted in 25% of transactions, in the order of R$400 million.

In the evaluation focused on the target areas of treatments, the historical series of the study - initially published in 2015, by the Spark Intelligence Strategic consultancy, recently acquired by Kynetec - highlights that the coverage of nematicides jumped from 1,5 million hectares to 21 million of hectares.

Of this total, soybeans recorded the highest rate of potential treated area (PAT) in the last harvest: 64% or approximately 13,4 million hectares. Corn and cotton appear in second place, both with 13% or around 2,73 million hectares each (5,46 million hectares combined). Sugarcane producers treated 1,27 million hectares, equivalent to 6% of the PAT.

Regarding the adoption of products by farmers, FarmTrak found that in 2022 treatments reached 99% of areas cultivated with cotton, compared to 9% found in 2015. In soybeans, there was an increase from 2% to 24%, while in sugarcane -sugar and corn this ratio grew from 6% to 13% and from 1% to 13%, respectively.

“Even crops with smaller planting areas have been treated with nematicides”, emphasizes Pedroso. Carrots, garlic and potatoes, he explains, had 76%, 67% and 39% of the areas covered by at least one application of products in 2022. “Nematodes severely damage plant roots. In the face of potential losses, the producer chooses to invest in preventive management.”

Biologicals and cerrado at the top

Another significant piece of data from the FarmTrak research places bionematicides or biological nematicides at the forefront of the market. Such products generated a turnover of R$1,2 billion, corresponding to 75% of the total market, compared to the 25% (R$395 million) share of chemical nematicides.

“However, it is important to highlight that chemical tools also have an important role in the management composition, which includes pesticide applications and other practices, including crop rotation and the use of pest-resistant varieties”, explains Pedroso.

The Kynetec specialist also highlights that, although the research detected the incidence of nematodes in all national agricultural regions, farmers from the cerrado stood out in the survey, as leaders in the purchase of products to control the pest. “They brought in 82% of the segment’s revenue or R$1,3 billion. Almost half of this amount (R$617 million) is concentrated in Mato Grosso”, concludes Pedroso.