U.S.: A Bad 2019 Might Equate to a Good 2020 for Biofertilizers
One year ago, agricultural watchers had high hopes for many biologicals, especially the biofertilizers segment, writes Eric Sfiligoj at CropLife. According to most analysts, the continual desire to boost crop yields by whatever means possible by growers had the marketplace poised to begin trying these products in larger numbers.
“The key trends in the industry right now include a continued and growing interest in utilizing new product technologies with natural and organic components to promote root growth, soil health, and crop production,” one biofertilizer company representative said in the 2019 CropLife® Biologicals Special Report. “Products that cannot only improve yield but also positively affect harvest grade and/or sizing in specialty crops, along with shelf life and nutritional quality, are gaining interest.”
But then 2019 happened. With an extremely wet spring, delayed crop plantings, and prevent plant acres dominating the headlines (and, by extension, much of the nation’s farmland), 2019 was a “very difficult year in terms of timely planting and harvest,” according to virtually everyone CropLife talked with regarding the biofertilizers market last year.
“The real driver going into 2019 was efficiency on the farm and maximizing return on investment on all inputs,” Alex Duffy, National Product Manager for Timac Agro USA, says. “The weather of 2019 caused some tough lessons on keeping and maintaining nutrients in the root zones of the plants.”
But in the long run, this “roughness” for agriculture during 2019 might turn out to be a good thing for the prospects for biofertilizers once the 2020 growing season gets into full swing, Duffy adds.
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