Herbicides Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Type (Glyphosate, Diquat, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and Others), By Mode of Action (Selective and Non-Selective), By Crop Type (Cereals & Grains, Oilseeds & Pulses, Fruits & Vegetables, and Others), By Region and Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 43.28 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	6.53%
Fastest Growing Segment	Cereals & Grains
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 63.26 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Herbicides Market will grow from USD 43.28 Billion in 2025 to USD 63.26 Billion by 2031 at a 6.53% CAGR. Herbicides are specialized agrochemical agents designed to inhibit or destroy unwanted vegetation that competes with commercial crops for essential nutrients, water, and sunlight. The primary drivers sustaining the expansion of this market include the escalating global demand for food security, which necessitates higher agricultural yields from limited arable land, and the acute shortage of farm labor in many regions. Consequently, the reliance on chemical weed control has intensified as a cost-effective alternative to manual weeding, further supported by the widespread adoption of conservation tillage practices that require effective chemical burn-down applications.

However, the industry faces a significant impediment in the form of growing weed resistance, where repetitive use of similar chemical modes of action leads to the evolution of tolerant plant species. This biological adaptation threatens long-term efficacy and forces producers to incur higher costs for alternative treatments. Illustrating the scale of current chemical reliance, according to the National Union of the Crop Protection Products Industry, in 2024, the total volume of formulated crop protection products sold in Brazil reached 1.665 million tons, a record figure driven substantially by herbicide demand for commodity crops.

Key Market Drivers

Escalating Global Food Demand and Population Growth functions as a primary catalyst for the Global Herbicides Market, necessitating an urgent maximization of caloric output from finite arable land. As agricultural producers strive to close the yield gap, the elimination of weed competition becomes non-negotiable for preserving crop productivity and ensuring food security. This fundamental pressure is driving a robust expansion in the consumption of crop protection chemistries, even amidst fluctuating commodity prices. For instance, according to Corteva Agriscience, November 2025, in the 'Third Quarter 2025 Results', the company's Crop Protection segment achieved a volume increase of 5%, a growth trajectory fueled largely by the adoption of new technologies in key agricultural regions. Illustrating the immense capital scale required to support this agricultural intensification, according to AgriMarketing, in 2025, the BASF Agricultural Solutions division generated sales of €9.8 billion for the preceding fiscal year, reflecting the critical role of chemical inputs in modern farming systems.

Increasing Scarcity of Agricultural Labor and Rising Wages acts as a powerful operational driver, compelling a structural shift away from manual weed control methods toward chemical alternatives. As rapid urbanization depletes the rural workforce, the cost of manual labor has surged to unsustainable levels for many growers, making herbicides the most viable cost-efficiency lever. This trend is particularly pronounced in developed economies where regulatory wage floors continue to climb, rendering hand-weeding economically obsolete. According to the Farm Employers Labor Service, November 2024, in the 'USDA Releases Farm Labor Wage Survey Results', the Adverse Effect Wage Rate for California was scheduled to increase to $19.97 per hour for 2025, a figure that exemplifies the rising operational costs forcing producers to rely more heavily on herbicide applications to maintain profitability.

Download Free Sample Report

Key Market Challenges

The primary challenge impeding the Global Herbicides Market is the accelerating proliferation of herbicide-resistant weed biotypes. This biological adaptation directly undermines the market's core value proposition by rendering established chemical formulations ineffective. As weeds evolve tolerance to frequently used modes of action, growers face diminishing returns on their agrochemical investments, leading to severe yield losses and unpredictable operational costs. This resistance forces the industry into a cycle of diminishing efficacy where the standard low-cost chemical burn-down methods are no longer sufficient, thereby threatening the sustainability of the volume-driven growth model that major manufacturers rely upon to maintain profitability.

The persistence of this issue is evident in recent industry data which confirms that current chemical portfolios are failing to control key resistant species. According to the Weed Science Society of America, in 2025, a comprehensive survey of broadleaf crops revealed that eight of the top ten most troublesome weed species remained identical to those identified in 2022. This stagnation demonstrates that despite continued market activity, the sector struggles to introduce new modes of action capable of overcoming established resistance in major commercially cropped areas.

Key Market Trends

Growth in drone-assisted aerial herbicide application is rapidly altering the operational landscape of weed management by offering unprecedented precision and accessibility in difficult terrains. This technology allows for targeted spot spraying that significantly reduces chemical wastage and minimizes operator exposure to hazardous compounds, addressing efficiency gaps in conventional ground-based methods. The scale of this adoption is expanding globally as producers integrate unmanned aerial systems into their standard crop protection protocols to enhance field coverage capabilities. According to DJI Agriculture, May 2025, in the 'Agricultural Drone Industry Insight Report', by the end of 2024, approximately 400,000 agricultural drones were in use globally, collectively treating over 500 million hectares of farmland.

Simultaneously, the market is experiencing a surge in the development of bio-herbicides and organic formulations, driven by the need for environmentally sustainable alternatives to synthetic chemistries. Manufacturers are increasingly prioritizing nature-derived weed control solutions that satisfy stringent regulatory requirements for residue-free produce while offering new mechanisms to complement existing programs. This strategic shift is evidenced by the robust commercial performance of biological portfolios in major agricultural regions, where growers are actively diversifying their input mixes. According to Syngenta Group, October 2025, in the 'Third Quarter and 9M 2025 Results', the company's biologicals business achieved double-digit sales growth over the first nine months of the year, underscoring the accelerating uptake of these eco-friendly inputs.

Segmental Insights

The Cereals & Grains segment is anticipated to emerge as the fastest growing category within the Global Herbicides Market due to the escalating demand for dietary staples such as rice and corn. This requirement necessitates higher agricultural productivity and effective weed management to prevent yield deficits. Furthermore, alignment with global food security goals outlined by the Food and Agriculture Organization drives the consistent application of crop protection solutions. Consequently, the imperative to prevent crop volume loss on limited arable land while managing resistance issues fuels the continued adoption of herbicides in this sector.

Regional Insights

North America holds the leading share in the Global Herbicides Market, driven primarily by the extensive cultivation of herbicide-tolerant crops in the United States and Canada. This agricultural reliance on genetically modified varieties necessitates consistent chemical application to manage weed resistance and ensure high productivity. Additionally, the United States Environmental Protection Agency provides a structured regulatory framework that supports the commercialization of approved crop protection chemicals. The strong focus on maximizing agricultural output for international trade further sustains the high demand for herbicides, solidifying North America’s position as the dominant regional market.

Recent Developments

• In June 2025, Syngenta unveiled a major scientific breakthrough in weed control with the introduction of a new herbicide molecule named metproxybicyclone. The company announced that this novel solution had been recognized as part of a new chemical subclass within the ACCase-inhibitor family, representing the first significant innovation in this specific category in approximately twenty years. Developed to address the escalating crisis of weed resistance, specifically in grass weeds affecting crops like soybeans and cotton, the new molecule was designed using advanced modeling to ensure high selectivity and environmental sustainability.
• In January 2025, FMC Corporation officially announced the brand names for its upcoming herbicide product line powered by the proprietary active ingredient Dodhylex. The company revealed that the new solutions would be marketed as Keenali Complete and Keenali GR herbicides. This development was particularly notable for the industry as the active ingredient, tetflupyrolimet, was classified as a Group 28 herbicide, marking the first new herbicide mode of action introduced globally in nearly four decades. Although the commercial rollout for rice growers was scheduled for subsequent years, the branding announcement signaled a major step forward in providing new rotational tools for resistance management.
• In November 2024, Corteva Agriscience expanded its portfolio in the Global Herbicides Market by launching two new preemergence products, Kyber Pro and Sonic Boom, for the 2025 growing season. These herbicides were engineered with multiple modes of action to provide soybean growers with extended residual activity against difficult broadleaf and grass weeds. The company emphasized that these launches were intended to offer enhanced flexibility and efficacy in controlling resistant weed populations, fitting into a comprehensive program approach that helps farmers maximize yield potential while maintaining effective stewardship of herbicide technologies.
• In June 2024, Bayer announced a significant advancement in its crop protection pipeline with the unveiling of a new herbicide active ingredient, Icafolin. During an innovation update in Chicago, the company highlighted this molecule as the first new mode of action for post-emergence weed control in broadacre crops developed in over thirty years. The company positioned this breakthrough as a critical tool for addressing the growing challenge of weed resistance globally. With a projected commercial debut in Brazil, the new herbicide was designed to complement existing weed management programs and support sustainable farming practices such as no-till agriculture.

Key Market Players

• BASF SE
• Monsanto Company
• Bayer AG
• Syngenta AG
• FMC Corporation
• Platform Specialty Products Corporation
• Nufarm Limited
• Nissan Chemical Industries Ltd.
• Drexel Chemical Company
• Adama Agricultural Solutions Ltd.

By Type	By Mode of Action	By Crop Type	By Region
Glyphosate Diquat 2 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid Others	Selective Non-Selective	Cereals & Grains Oilseeds & Pulses Fruits & Vegetables Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

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

• Herbicides Market, By Type:

• Glyphosate
• Diquat
• 2
• 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
• Others

• Herbicides Market, By Mode of Action:

• Selective
• Non-Selective

• Herbicides Market, By Crop Type:

• Cereals & Grains
• Oilseeds & Pulses
• Fruits & Vegetables
• Others

• Herbicides 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