Herbicides Market Size, Share, Trends and Forecast by Type, Mode of Action, Application, and Region, 2025-2033

The global herbicides market size was valued at USD 34.16 Billion in 2024. Looking forward, IMARC Group estimates the market to reach USD 46.6 Billion by 2033, exhibiting a CAGR of 3.50% from 2025-2033. Asia Pacific currently dominates the market, holding a market share of over 26.7% in 2024. The growth of the Asia Pacific region is driven by extensive agricultural activities, government support for modern farming, increasing crop protection awareness, and advancements in herbicide formulations for sustainable practices.

Herbicides Market Analysis:

Major Market Drivers: The increasing demand for herbicides due to rising adoption of modern farming practices and the need for higher crop yields. Additionally, the growing concerns about weed resistance to existing herbicides, prompting the development and adoption of new formulations and technologies.

Key Market Trends: The shift toward integrated weed management strategies, combining herbicides with other methods like crop rotation and mechanical weed control. Moreover, the rising popularity of environmentally friendly herbicides derived from natural sources is contributing to consumer demand for sustainable farming practices.

Geographical Trends: The herbicide market recent developments show rapid growth in herbicide usage in emerging economies like Brazil, India, and China, fueled by expanding agricultural sectors and the adoption of advanced farming techniques is influencing the market growth. Also, the increasing regulatory scrutiny and restrictions on herbicide use in developed regions like Europe and North America, lead to slower market growth and greater emphasis on alternative weed control methods.

Competitive Landscape: Some of the major players in herbicides industry include BASF SE, Bayer AG, Corteva Inc., Drexel Chemical Co. Inc., FMC Corporation, Heranba Industries Ltd., Nissan Chemical Corporation, Nufarm, Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd., Syngenta Group, UPL Limited and Wilbur-Ellis Company LLC among many others.

Challenges and Opportunities: Regulatory challenges and public concerns regarding the environmental and health impacts of herbicide necessitate greater innovation in safer and more sustainable herbicide formulations. Herbicide market recent opportunities lie in the development of herbicides with novel modes of action to combat weed resistance and expanding into untapped markets such as non-agricultural sectors like landscaping and forestry.

Herbicides Market Trends:

Increasing Demand for Food Production

According to the World Resources Institute, the global population is projected to reach 10 Billion by 2050, which would need a significant increase in food production to satisfy the 3 Billion people that will need to be fed Additionally, agricultural production must be increased to overcome this challenge. Herbicides are essential to this process as they control weeds, which would otherwise compete with crops for vital resources such as sunlight, water, and nutrients. Along with this, the herbicide application strategy ensures higher crop yields and more effective agricultural practices offering improved food production per hectare from crops using the resources efficiently when fields are kept free of weeds that provide competition. Thus, in a world where resources are limited, this is necessary to meet the growing demand for food and to encourage sustainable agriculture methods.

Adoption of Genetically Modified (GM) Crops

GM crops and the corresponding herbicides are widely used due to their compatibility. The combined features of herbicide tolerance and insect resistance grew by 6%, according to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), and now account for 85.1 million hectares, or 45% of all agricultural land worldwide. It demonstrates the preference of farmers for ecologically friendly agricultural practices, such as no-till planting and less use of pesticides. Herbicide tolerance continued to be the most common feature in crops such as cotton, soybeans, canola, maize, and alfalfa until 2018. Besides this, genetically modified (GM) crop integration has revolutionized current agriculture, especially regarding the dynamics of pesticide use. Genetically modified crops, designed to withstand herbicides, enable farmers to use herbicides without endangering the crop. Additionally, the area cultivated with biotech crops has expanded exponentially, reaching millions of hectares globally. The trait of herbicide resistance simplifies weed control and enhances the effectiveness of agricultural practices by reducing the labor and cost involved in traditional weeding methods. Consequently, this drives the demand for genetically modified seeds and their compatible herbicides, marking a significant shift in agricultural methodologies.

Rising Incidence of Weed Resistance

The growing use of herbicides has led to an increase in weed resistance cases. This process happens when herbicide-treated weed populations adapt to withstand the treatments, eventually decreasing the efficacy of these drugs over time. Additionally, Weed Science indicates a fundamental problem with agricultural management with numerous occurrences of herbicide resistance. For instance, herbicide-resistant weeds have been found in 531 different cases globally, encompassing 272 species (155 dicots and 117 monocots). These weeds have become resistant to 168 different herbicides, covering 21 of the 31 known sites of action. This ongoing need to create new herbicides that can defeat resistant strains is brought on by this increasing resistance. Maintaining high levels of agricultural output depends on addressing weed resistance, which calls for constant innovation and adaptation in the creation of herbicides and farming techniques. For instance, in a study recently published in the journal Weed Technology by the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) on 5 June 2024, it was found that Diflufenican, a novel preemergence herbicide for corn, shows promise as an effective component of integrated weed management against water hemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) resistant to multiple herbicides.

Herbicides Market Segmentation:

Breakup by Type:

• Synthetic
• Glyphosate
• Atrazine
• 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid
• Acetochlor
• Paraquat
• Others
• Bio-Herbicides

Synthetic accounts for the majority of the market share

Synthetic herbicides are chemical components intended to kill certain types of weeds without harming the crops. Farmers across the world use synthetic herbicides extensively due to their cost-effectiveness and efficacy. They provide reliable solutions for large-scale agricultural operations and can manage a wide range of weed species. It consists of many herbicide classes, including 2,4-D, atrazine, and glyphosate, which are popular and shown to increase crop yields by controlling weed growth. Hence key players are introducing advanced product variants to meet these needs, thus contributing to herbicides market growth. For instance, on 9 February 2024, BASF announced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval of Surtain herbicide, making it the first product with a solid encapsulated premix formulation to hit stores. With its innovative technology, this herbicide gives farmers a wide window of application time, from pre-planting to early post-emergence, and it controls or suppresses 79 important types of grass and broadleaf weeds. It successfully meets the needs of contemporary weed management by utilizing cutting-edge solid encapsulation technology in conjunction with long-lasting residual properties.

Breakup by Mode of Action:

• Selective Herbicides
• Non-Selective Herbicides

Selective herbicides hold the largest share of the industry

Selective herbicides are designed to target specific types of weeds without harming the crops, making them highly valued in agricultural practices. These herbicides provide an essential solution for maintaining crop health and yield by controlling a wide range of weed species that compete with crops for nutrients, water, and sunlight. The market is driven by its widespread use in major agricultural countries, where precision and crop safety are critical. Hence key players are introducing advanced product variants to meet numerous herbicide demand. For instance, on 30 March 2023, BASF introduced an enhanced version of its Frequency herbicide, presenting wheat and barley growers with a highly adaptable Group 27 product. This upgraded herbicide boasts superior efficacy against stubborn broadleaf weeds like fleabane, sowthistle, buckwheat/bindweed, wireweed, wild radish, bifora, and capeweed. Additionally, originally introduced in 2020, the improved Frequency now features a smoother consistency, facilitating easier pouring during application. The Frequency label also empowers growers with the flexibility to choose the main tank-mix partner and adjust application rates, enabling customization of the spray solution to target specific weed types and sizes.

Breakup by Application:

• Grains and Cereals
• Pulses and Oilseeds
• Commercial Crops
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Turf and Ornamentals

Grains and cereals represent the leading market segment

As per the herbicides market overview, the grains and cereals segment reflects the extensive use of herbicides in cultivating staple crops like wheat, rice, and corn. It is primarily driven by the global necessity to maximize crop yields and effectively manage weed resistance, particularly in major agricultural regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe. The application of herbicides in grains and cereals helps ensure crop uniformity and significantly boosts productivity by reducing competition from weeds for vital resources such as light, nutrients, and water, which positively generates herbicide market revenue. For instance, on 13 March 2024, Corteva Agriscience announced the expansion of its primary cereal herbicide selection in Canada by introducing Extinguish XL herbicide. This new product aims to address the challenge of broadleaf weeds for wheat and barley growers in the black and grey soil zones of Western Canada. Extinguish XL herbicide offers a comprehensive solution with various modes of action, delivering effective control of persistent weeds such as cleavers, dandelion, round-leaved mallow, stork's-bill, and narrow-leaved hawk's beard, adaptable to diverse weather conditions.

Breakup by Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Asia-Pacific
• China
• Japan
• India
• South Korea
• Australia
• Indonesia
• Others
• Europe
• Germany
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Spain
• Russia
• Others
• Latin America
• Brazil
• Mexico
• Others
• Middle East and Africa

Asia Pacific leads the market, accounting for the largest herbicides market share

The report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of all the major regional markets, which include North America (the United States and Canada); Europe (Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Russia, and others); Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, and others); Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, and others); and the Middle East and Africa. According to the report, Asia Pacific was the largest regional market for herbicides.

As per the herbicides market forecast Asia Pacific region is dominating the market due to the extensive agricultural activities across populous countries like China and India. It is further bolstered by the increasing adoption of modern agricultural practices, a growing focus on crop yield enhancement, and the rising need for weed management due to the intensification of farming activities. Additionally, governments are also supporting the use of herbicides through various agricultural policies, which aim to meet the food demands of an increasing population, thus creating a positive herbicides market outlook. For instance, on 4 May 2023, BASF introduced two novel herbicides, Facet and Duvelon, aimed at assisting rice and tea growers in addressing the persistent issue of problematic weeds. It provides efficient and dependable control of the significant grassy weed Echinochloa spp in rice cultivation, while Duvelon, powered by Kixor Active, presents an effective weed management regimen tailored for tea plantations. This launch represents an expansion of BASF's offerings in the rice and tea herbicide markets, providing high-efficacy products that meet the specific needs of growers. In India, where rice and tea production ranks second globally, weed control poses a significant challenge, impacting crop quality and yield. Hence, the introduction of Facet and Duvelon addresses this challenge, offering farmers reliable solutions for weed management and crop protection.

Competitive Landscape:

The market research report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of the competitive landscape in the market. Detailed profiles of all major companies have also been provided. Some of the major market players in the herbicides industry include BASF SE, Bayer AG, Corteva Inc., Drexel Chemical Co. Inc., FMC Corporation, Heranba Industries Ltd., Nissan Chemical Corporation, Nufarm, Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd., Syngenta Group, UPL Limited, and Wilbur-Ellis Company LLC.

Key Questions Answered in This Report

• 1.What are herbicides?
• 2.How big is the herbicides market?
• 3.What is the expected growth rate of the global herbicides market during 2025-2033?
• 4.What are the key factors driving the global herbicides market?
• 5.What is the leading segment of the global herbicides market based on type?
• 6.What is the leading segment of the global herbicides market based on mode of action?
• 7.What is the leading segment of the global herbicides market based on application?
• 8.What are the key regions in the global herbicides market?
• 9.Who are the key players/companies in the global herbicides market?