Chlorpyrifos: Navigating the Next Phase of a Controversial Molecule
3 December 2025 Chlorpyrifos takes center stage as one of the most debated and closely studied insecticides in modern agriculture.
To better understand its status, regional differences, and what comes next, AgriBusiness Global spoke with Derek Oliphant, Partner at AgbioInvestor, about the evolution of chlorpyrifos and the outlook for replacement chemistries.
AgriBusiness Global: Chlorpyrifos has been in use for decades. Can you provide some context on its history and how its role in global agriculture has changed?
Derek Oliphant: Chlorpyrifos is the second largest organophosphate, originally launched by Dow Chemical in 1965. The product provides broad-spectrum control of a wide range of pests, including corn rootworm, cutworm, European corn borer, armyworm, wireworm, mites, aphids, and nematodes. Although it continues to generate robust annual sales, regulatory action in several key regional markets has reduced sales to well below peak levels.
ABG: Which markets still represent the strongest demand for chlorpyrifos today?
DO: China remains the leading market, where chlorpyrifos is used primarily on fruits, vegetables, and rice. Brazil follows, with major use in soybeans, and India also represents a significant market across cotton, rice, fruits and vegetables, and sugarcane. The molecule also finds minor use in several other markets, though these are of lesser commercial significance.
ABG: Where has chlorpyrifos faced the greatest regulatory pressure or restrictions?
DO: Several regions have taken decisive regulatory action. In Canada, all uses of chlorpyrifos were canceled following a 2021 reevaluation, with a final use date of Dec. 10, 2023. The European Union, Thailand, and Vietnam have implemented bans, while South Africa has proposed one.
In the U.S., the regulatory path has been more complex. The product was banned in 2018. That decision was overturned in 2019, reinstated in 2021, and partially reversed again in 2023. As of 2024, the U.S. EPA proposed to revoke all but 11 uses of chlorpyrifos, which would reduce use by about 70%. The agency plans to issue a revised decision in 2026.
ABG: How have these actions affected the market size and company participation?
DO: Sales declined by 13.9% in 2023 to around $401 million, and by an average of 10.3% annually between 2018 and 2023. The product’s generic status means that many companies are now involved. Corteva had a significant presence until it ceased production in 2020. Other key participants today include Adama, Sumitomo Chemical, Nortox, and UPL.
ABG: What are the most likely candidates to replace chlorpyrifos in the market?
DO: Strong replacement candidates include the diamide class—particularly cyantraniliprole, which controls both chewing and sucking pests—along with newer insecticides such as sulfoxaflor, flupyradifurone, and afidopyropen. However, chlorpyrifos’s broad spectrum of activity means that no single molecule can fully replace it. Realistically, multiple insecticides would be required to cover the same range of pests. At this stage, I can’t identify any recent or pipeline insecticides with the same level of versatility.
ABG: Given these regulatory and market shifts, what do you expect for the future of chlorpyrifos?
DO: I cannot foresee any growth in the future, based on the highly unfavorable regulatory profile of the active ingredient. While chlorpyrifos still plays a role in certain regions, its long-term outlook is one of continued decline.
Get The Newsletter Today!
