When The Price Is Wrong
3 June 2008 Last week’s column asking about the glyphosate situation around the world attracted dozens of responses, as around the world, the price of the herbicide leapt from anywhere between 200% and 600% in the span of a year or two. In one of our items below, we see another example of how glyphosate is not alone in that regard. Dow and Huntsman aren’t alone in their situation: costs for all suppliers are soaring, forcing prices higher. According to your answers to our informal survey, most of the industry also sees these prices holding – or at least not returning to the prices we used to have.
Are we nearing a tipping point? Consider this comment from a reader in Tunisia: "Farmers will not pay more for glyphosate in Tunisia … Glyphosate is replaced in Tunisia in some areas by hand work, because of the lower cost."
While in many areas, this may not be the case yet, there is the (startling) possibility that – depending on farmers’ size, the price of glyphosate, and the price of labor – we could be heading toward a point where the next blockbuster molecule is one that’s part of a human hand.
Yes, this seems far-fetched. But how far off? How far do prices have to rise in various markets before alternatives are sought out? These may not necessarily be a guy with gardening gloves and flyswatter, but may include other herbicide products or other options such as biocontrols.
In time, glyphosate prices should drop. But in the meantime, there are stil weeds to deal with. And right now, a lot of reliance on the world’s No. 1 product. As long as crop prices remain high – which they are expected to – that means the door is open for alternatives.
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