Agricultural Packaging Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Product (Pouches & Bags, Drums, Bottles & Cans, Others), By Material (Plastic, Metal, Paper and Paperboard, Composite Materials, Others), By Application (Fertilizers, Pesticides, Seeds, Others), By Region, and By Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 5.66 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	5.15%
Fastest Growing Segment	Pouches & Bags
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 7.65 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Agricultural Packaging Market will grow from USD 5.66 Billion in 2025 to USD 7.65 Billion by 2031 at a 5.15% CAGR. Agricultural packaging comprises materials such as pouches, bags, trays, and films designed for the containment and protection of produce and agrochemicals. The sector is propelled by the rising global food demand and the critical need to minimize post-harvest losses through enhanced preservation methods. Additionally, robust packaging is essential to support the logistics of expanding international food trade by ensuring product integrity during transport. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, in 2023, the monetary value of global agricultural exports reached USD 1.9 trillion.

Nevertheless, the market faces a substantial challenge due to increasing environmental scrutiny and stringent regulations regarding plastic waste. The industry must navigate the complex and costly transition from conventional plastics to sustainable alternatives to comply with evolving legislative standards. This requirement for eco-friendly compliance imposes financial burdens on manufacturers and requires significant capital investment, which could impede growth particularly in cost-sensitive regions where traditional materials remain dominant.

Key Market Drivers

The shift towards sustainable and eco-friendly packaging solutions is significantly influencing market dynamics, driven by intensifying regulatory frameworks and consumer pressure to eliminate non-recyclable materials. Manufacturers are compelled to replace conventional polymers with biodegradable films and reusable containers to align with circular economy principles. This transition is not merely voluntary but increasingly mandated by legislation in major export markets, forcing stakeholders to innovate rapidly. According to the European Parliament, April 2024, in the 'Parliament adopts new packaging rules' press release, the institution formally adopted regulations requiring a reduction in packaging waste by 5 percent by 2030, necessitating immediate structural changes in packaging production strategies to maintain market access.

Concurrently, the rising focus on reducing post-harvest losses acts as a primary catalyst for the adoption of protective and active packaging technologies. As supply chains lengthen, the industry depends on robust containment solutions to preserve freshness and ensure food security for a growing population. According to the UN Environment Programme, March 2024, in the 'Food Waste Index Report 2024', approximately 19 percent of food available to consumers was wasted globally in 2022, highlighting the critical need for improved preservation methods. Additionally, the sheer scale of output requiring storage drives volume growth; according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, in 2024, the forecast for global cereal production reached 2,854 million tonnes, directly fueling the demand for bulk packaging formats.

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Key Market Challenges

The Global Agricultural Packaging Market faces a significant impediment due to stringent environmental regulations and the urgent requirement to reduce plastic waste. This regulatory landscape forces manufacturers to undertake the expensive transition from conventional, fossil-based plastics to sustainable, eco-friendly alternatives. The financial burden of complying with these evolving standards is substantial, requiring extensive capital investment in research and development as well as the overhaul of existing production lines. Consequently, these rising operational costs lead to increased product prices, which directly hampers market adoption in cost-sensitive agricultural regions where farmers operate on thin margins and cannot absorb the premium for green packaging solutions.

This struggle to shift away from traditional materials is quantified by the slow pace of adopting circular feedstocks across the broader industry. The sector remains deeply entrenched in conventional production methods, making the necessary rapid compliance difficult and costly to execute. According to Plastics Europe, in 2024, circular plastics accounted for only 13.5% of new plastic products manufactured in Europe. This data highlights the massive disparity between current production realities and regulatory expectations, illustrating the scale of the challenge that continues to restrict the market's growth potential.

Key Market Trends

The Growth of Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) in Closed-Loop Logistics is fundamentally restructuring supply chain operations by prioritizing transport efficiency and reverse logistics optimization alongside material durability. Unlike simple reusable formats, this trend emphasizes the systemic integration of standardized crates into pooled networks, which significantly reduces the frequency of transport legs required for return and redistribution. This logistical densification lowers operational costs for agricultural producers and retailers by maximizing truckload utility and streamlining inventory flow. According to IFCO Systems, November 2024, in the 'ESG Report 2024', a strategic partnership in the UK utilizing the company's reusable packaging solutions within a closed-loop system achieved a 45 percent reduction in trips associated with reverse logistics operations.

Simultaneously, the Shift Towards High-Barrier Monomaterial Structures for Recyclability represents a critical material science evolution intended to replace complex, multi-polymer laminates that are traditionally difficult to process. Manufacturers are increasingly engineering sophisticated mono-polyethylene (PE) or mono-polypropylene (PP) films that offer the necessary protective barriers for agrochemicals and fresh produce while remaining fully compatible with existing recycling streams. This technical pivot allows the industry to retain the functional performance of conventional plastics without relying on compostable alternatives that may lack infrastructure. According to Amcor, October 2024, in the '2024 Sustainability Report', more than 94 percent of the company's flexible packaging portfolio by area had a recycle-ready solution available, highlighting the rapid industrial scale-up of these monomaterial technologies.

Segmental Insights

The Pouches & Bags segment is emerging as the fastest-growing category within the Global Agricultural Packaging Market, driven by the increasing demand for cost-efficient and lightweight solutions. This expansion is largely attributed to the superior barrier properties of flexible packaging, which effectively protect seeds and granular fertilizers from moisture and contamination. Furthermore, the ability of pouches to reduce transportation costs through lower material weight offers significant logistical advantages over rigid containers. These functional benefits allow manufacturers to meet efficient distribution requirements while maintaining product quality, thereby stimulating high demand across the agricultural sector.

Regional Insights

North America maintains a leading position in the agricultural packaging market driven by a well-developed export sector and efficient supply chain logistics. This dominance is supported by strict adherence to food safety protocols established by the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture. These regulatory bodies enforce rigorous standards for material quality and pest management, necessitating the use of compliant packaging solutions. This regulatory environment, combined with a focus on minimizing post-harvest losses, ensures the consistent demand for reliable packaging formats across the region.

Recent Developments

• In November 2024, BASF announced a strategic partnership with a premium fruit and vegetable ingredient supplier to reduce plastic waste in strawberry farming. The collaboration involves the use of certified soil-biodegradable mulch films made from the company's biopolymer, ecovio. These innovative films are designed to be ploughed into the soil after harvest, where they are naturally metabolized by microorganisms, eliminating the need for the removal and recycling of conventional polyethylene films. This initiative aims to enhance water management and lower the environmental footprint of agricultural cultivation, demonstrating a practical application of sustainable packaging technologies in commercial farming.
• In June 2024, Mondi invested €125 million in its containerboard mill in Kuopio, Finland, to upgrade its production capabilities. This substantial investment aims to increase the facility's capacity by 55,000 metric tons annually and enhance the quality of 'ProVantage Powerflute', a high-performance semi-chemical fluting used extensively in fresh fruit and vegetable trays. The modernization includes upgrades to the wood yard, fiber line, and paper machine, reinforcing the company's commitment to providing sustainable, paper-based packaging solutions for the agricultural sector while significantly improving the mill's environmental performance and energy efficiency.
• In February 2024, Berry Global launched a new agricultural film, SilotitePro1800 Sustane, which incorporates 25% post-consumer recycled plastic. This product was introduced to support the circular economy and reduce the environmental impact of silage wrapping. The film maintains high performance and durability, which are essential for preserving silage quality, while reducing the environmental load by approximately 24% compared to standard films. This innovation aligns with the company's sustainability strategy to increase the use of recycled materials in its agricultural packaging portfolio, offering farmers a traceable and certified sustainable solution for crop preservation.
• In January 2024, Cordex collaborated with a British innovation firm to unveil 'Biocord', a pioneering baler twine featuring self-destructing plastic technology. Showcased at the Lamma Show, this product addresses the critical issue of fugitive plastic in the agricultural sector. Biocord is designed to be fully recyclable, but if left in the environment, it transforms into a bio-available wax, ensuring no microplastics are left behind. This launch represents a significant breakthrough in sustainable crop packaging, offering farmers a solution that maintains the high strength and performance of synthetic twine while promoting environmental safety through advanced biodegradability.

Key Market Players

• Mondi plc
• Proampac
• Pactiv Evergreen Inc.
• NNZ BV
• Sonoco Products Company
• BAG Corporation
• Greif International Holding B.V.
• Amcor plc
• Anderson Packaging Inc.

By Product	By Material	By Application	By Region
Pouches & Bags Drums Bottles & Cans Others	Plastic Metal Paper and Paperboard Composite Materials Others	Fertilizers Pesticides Seeds Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Agricultural Packaging Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Agricultural Packaging Market, By Product:

• Pouches & Bags
• Drums
• Bottles & Cans
• Others

• Agricultural Packaging Market, By Material:

• Plastic
• Metal
• Paper and Paperboard
• Composite Materials
• Others

• Agricultural Packaging Market, By Application:

• Fertilizers
• Pesticides
• Seeds
• Others

• Agricultural Packaging Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE