Grain Protectants Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Control Method (Chemical, Physical, Biological), By Target Pest (Insects, Rodents, Others), By Grain Type (Corn, Wheat, Rice, Others), By Region and Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 680.11 Million
CAGR (2026-2031)	5.74%
Fastest Growing Segment	Biological
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 950.64 Million

Market Overview

The Global Grain Protectants Market will grow from USD 680.11 Million in 2025 to USD 950.64 Million by 2031 at a 5.74% CAGR. Grain protectants are specialized formulations applied to stored cereals, including wheat, corn, and rice, to prevent infestation by insect pests and inhibit fungal growth during warehousing and transport. The market is primarily driven by the imperative to reduce post-harvest losses to ensure food security and the logistical demands of managing increasing agricultural yields. As storage durations lengthen to accommodate trade flows, the reliance on preservation solutions intensifies. According to the International Grains Council, in November 2025, the forecast for total global grains output for the 2025/26 season was raised to a record 2.43 billion tonnes, underscoring the substantial volume of inventory requiring robust protection.

However, the market confronts a significant challenge regarding stringent regulatory restrictions on chemical residues. Governments worldwide are enforcing tighter maximum residue limits (MRLs) and phasing out specific active ingredients due to environmental and health concerns. This regulatory tightening complicates product registration and limits the portfolio of available chemical treatments, creating a substantial hurdle for manufacturers seeking to expand their operations in highly regulated regions.

Key Market Drivers

The urgent necessity to minimize post-harvest grain losses serves as a primary catalyst for the market's growth. As agricultural systems strive to feed a growing population, the preservation of harvested crops becomes as critical as production itself. Insect pests and fungal pathogens pose a severe threat to stored commodities, necessitating the application of effective chemical or organic protectants to maintain quality and volume. This drive is intensified by the direct link between storage efficiency and global hunger alleviation. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, July 2024, in the 'State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024' report, approximately 733 million people faced hunger in 2023, a statistic that amplifies the global mandate for the industry to eliminate avoidable food wastage through advanced preservation techniques.

Simultaneously, the rapid expansion of modern grain storage infrastructure creates new avenues for product application. Developing nations are transitioning from traditional open-air storage to silo systems and warehouses, which require systematic pest management protocols to remain effective. This infrastructural modernization facilitates the precise dosing of protectants, ensuring higher efficacy and safety compliance. According to the Press Information Bureau, February 2024, in the 'World's Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector' release, the Indian government inaugurated a pilot project aiming to create 700 lakh metric tonnes of decentralized storage capacity over five years. This massive increase in holding capacity directly correlates with a higher demand for preservation inputs. Furthermore, the sheer scale of consumption sustains this momentum; according to the United States Department of Agriculture, in 2024, global wheat consumption alone was projected to reach 803.4 million metric tons, necessitating vast protected inventories.

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Key Market Challenges

The Global Grain Protectants Market confronts a substantial hurdle arising from stringent regulatory frameworks governing chemical residues. Governments are increasingly enforcing rigorous Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and phasing out established active ingredients to address environmental and health safety. This regulatory tightening hampers market growth by shrinking the portfolio of available chemical tools, forcing manufacturers to incur high costs for new product registration and reformulation. The resulting fragmentation of global standards creates significant non-tariff barriers, complicating compliance for exporters who must navigate disparate regulations across trading jurisdictions.

These operational constraints directly impede the cross-border movement of agricultural commodities, reducing the fluidity of the supply chain upon which the protectants market relies. The heightened risk of shipment rejection and the complexity of meeting diverse import standards contribute to a slowdown in international grain flows. According to the International Grains Council, in June 2025, the forecast for global grains trade for the 2024/25 marketing year was projected at 423 million tonnes, reflecting a contraction in traded volumes amidst this complex operating environment. This decline in trade activity limits the addressable market for preservation solutions during transport, stifling the industry's expansion.

Key Market Trends

The transition towards bio-based and botanical grain protectants is significantly reshaping the market as stakeholders prioritize residue-free preservation methods to meet evolving regulatory standards and consumer preferences. This shift is driven by the urgent need to combat pest resistance against conventional synthetic chemistries while maintaining compliance with stringent Maximum Residue Limits. Manufacturers are actively expanding their portfolios with biological formulations that offer effective pest control profiles similar to traditional inputs but with a favorable environmental footprint. According to Corteva, February 2025, in the 'Fourth Quarter 2024 Results' report, the company's Crop Protection segment achieved a 16% increase in volume, a growth trajectory primarily driven by the rising demand for new technology products, including spinosyns and biologicals, particularly in Latin American markets.

The integration of IoT and smart sensor technologies for real-time monitoring represents a critical evolution in grain storage management, moving the industry from reactive to proactive preservation strategies. Storage facility operators are increasingly adopting digital ecosystems that continuously track internal parameters such as temperature, moisture content, and carbon dioxide levels to predict potential infestation or spoilage events. This digitalization enables precise, data-driven interventions that optimize aeration and fumigation schedules, thereby reducing chemical usage and operational costs. According to Bühler Group, February 2025, in the 'Annual Report 2024', the company's Customer Service business, which encompasses its portfolio of digital services and remote monitoring solutions, recorded a turnover growth of 9.4% to reach CHF 1.06 billion, reflecting the sector's accelerating investment in connected asset management.

Segmental Insights

The biological segment is currently positioned as the most rapidly expanding category within the global grain protectants market, driven by heightened scrutiny regarding chemical residues. Regulatory bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the European Food Safety Authority are implementing stricter standards for maximum residue limits, necessitating a shift toward safer storage solutions. Additionally, the increasing development of pest resistance to conventional synthetic insecticides accelerates this transition. Consequently, agricultural stakeholders are prioritizing biological formulations to ensure compliance with international trade standards and to satisfy the growing global requirement for organic and residue-free grain commodities.

Regional Insights

North America leads the Global Grain Protectants Market, primarily driven by its extensive agricultural infrastructure and high production volumes of staples like corn and wheat. The region's market dominance is underpinned by stringent food safety standards enforced by authorities such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). These rigorous regulatory frameworks compel facility operators to adopt reliable chemical and biological protectants to ensure export quality. Furthermore, the intense focus on minimizing post-harvest losses in large-scale storage silos significantly sustains the demand for effective pest management solutions across the continent.

Recent Developments

• In October 2024, BASF and AgroSpheres entered into a strategic partnership to co-develop a novel bioinsecticide for the agricultural market. The collaboration focuses on leveraging AgroSpheres' proprietary AgriCell encapsulation technology to create stable and effective biological solutions for controlling key pests, such as lepidopterans, which include major stored grain insects. This partnership aims to deliver new, sustainable crop protection tools that can serve as alternatives or complements to conventional chemical protectants in resistance management strategies.
• In June 2024, Douglas Products announced a major strategic initiative titled "Climate Smart Fumigation," pledging to reduce global post-fumigation emissions from its sulfuryl fluoride products by 50% by 2035. The company committed to investing in research and evaluating new technologies to optimize fumigation processes for its brands, such as ProFume, which is widely used for post-harvest grain pest management. This move aims to maintain the efficacy of fumigation tools while addressing environmental sustainability concerns in the grain protection market.
• In January 2024, Central Life Sciences launched Gravista-D, a new insecticide formulation designed specifically for the protection of stored grain. This ready-to-use solution combines an adulticide with an insect growth regulator to provide comprehensive control against a broad spectrum of pests, including weevils, Indian meal moths, and sawtoothed grain beetles. The product was introduced to help grain producers and handlers reduce insect-damaged kernels and grain shrink in commodities such as corn, wheat, and sorghum.
• In January 2024, Degesch America, Inc. introduced U-Phos, a cylinderized phosphine fumigant, to the United States market following approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The product was developed as a cost-effective and reliable alternative to methyl bromide and traditional metal phosphide fumigants, offering a non-flammable mixture when blended with carbon dioxide or forced air. This launch expanded the company's portfolio of fumigation solutions for the control of stored product pests in the agricultural and food processing sectors.

Key Market Players

• BASF SE
• Bayer AG
• Syngenta Crop Protection AG
• Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.
• FMC Corporation
• UPL Ltd.
• Central Garden & Pet Company
• ADAMA Agricultural Solutions Ltd.
• Arysta LifeScience Corporation
• Nichino America, Inc.

By Control Method	By Target Pest	By Grain Type	By Region
Chemical Physical Biological	Insects Rodents Others	Corn Wheat Rice Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

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

• Grain Protectants Market, By Control Method:

• Chemical
• Physical
• Biological

• Grain Protectants Market, By Target Pest:

• Insects
• Rodents
• Others

• Grain Protectants Market, By Grain Type:

• Corn
• Wheat
• Rice
• Others

• Grain Protectants 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