Biopesticides: A Sustainable Alternative To Organic Farming
Adverse chemical effects are encouraging more agriculture companies to opt for biopesticides in India.
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By Shubhangi Bidwe
Biopesticides are emerging as a sustainable alternative leading to safe organic farming in India.
A report by Fortune Business Insights pegs the Indian biopesticides market, which grew to US$ 69.62 million in 2022, to reach US$130.37 million by 2029. It will grow at a CAGR of 9.38% during this period, states the report.
Most of this growth will be driven by the consumers’ rising demand for organic and biological products, and an increasing focus on crop protection strategies, adds another report by Global News Wire.
On the other hand, the global biopesticides market, is growing at the rate of 14.6%, says Dr Sanjay Patidar, Founder, Growtech Agri Science and Research Pvt Ltd.
The inability of chemical pesticides to stop soil erosion and control soil-born pathogen and other diseases, is making biopesticides an ideal solution for farmers across the globe, he adds.
An increase in the exports of fruits and vegetables along with farmers’ rising awareness on the bio-efficacy of biopesticides, implementation of IPMs, entry of multinationals in the biopesticides space and increase in organic acreage, is also fueling this growth, says Narsimha Rao Kothapalli, Vice President & Head-Exports, Coramandal International, a company that has been working in the biopesticides market since the year 2000. “We have 60% market share globally in Azadirachtin, and currently market the product in 42 countries,” says Kothapalli.
Microbes Driving Growth
There is a renewed interest in microbial biopesticides which is encouraging companies to develop new and innovative products. The sector dominated the Indian biopesticides industry in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.8% with its popularity surging owing to improved crop quality and protected against external attack by bacteria, fungi, and other pollutants.
Coramandal International too has developed a wide range of microbial biopesticides to provide farmers with a complete value for money. One of its prominent products includes Neemazal 1% (Aza 1% EC), which is made from highest purity Aza Technical. The product has the lowest aflatoxin content in the technical. It is a broad-spectrum insecticide used for the management of more than 60 insect pests in 100 crops.
Market Segmentation
The Indian market of biopesticides is divided into the biofungicides, bioherbicides, and bioinsecticides segments. Of these, the bioinsecticides segment is growing faster owing to the country’s tropical climate, says Kothapalli. The use of nematicides is also picking up, especially in greenhouses and the floriculture industry, he adds.
Applications
In India, 90% of the biopesticides are used for foliar application, affirms Kothapalli. The country offers 970 Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC)-registered products. It produces approximately 29% (bacterial), 66% (fungal), 4% (viral) and 1% other (plant-based, pheromone-based) biopesticides respectively.
India uses 80% of its biopesticides in the fruits and vegetables segment, followed by oil seeds and cereals. Coramandal focuses on the same segment, says Kothapalli.
Fungal products have the highest percentage share in biopesticides in India. Companies use various strains of trichoderma as fungal biopesticides. A leader in this is Growtech Agriscience and Research which uses various trichoderma-based products such as trichoderma viridae, trichoderma harzianum, bacillus subtilis, etc. “Our products are mainly used for soil application and foliar application. However, they can also be used in drip irrigation and granular,” says Patidar.
There are currently 355 trichoderma-based biopesticides available in the market. However, only two of these species have been linked to recorded biocontrol activity.
The use of bacterial biopesticides is also increasing at 10% per year with Bacillus thuringiensis making up around 15% of all bacterial biopesticides. On the other hand, the use of viral biopesticides, based on nucleopolyhedrosis viruses (NPVs), is relatively low. These types of biopesticides are mainly used to biocontrol helicoverpa armigera in India.
Consumption Patterns
Major Challenges
At the global level, environmentally benign nature and target-specificity of biopesticides are gaining wide popularity. However, in developing countries like India, the usage of biopesticides is still minuscule as compared to conventional chemical pesticides. Although the Indian government has launched many schemes to increase the use of biopesticides at a grassroots level, the segment still faces many challenges. Lower adaptability and declining interest of farmers is a matter of big concern. Technological challenges related to production, manufacturers and application in agroecosystems also raise a question on their long-term sustainability.
Another challenge being faced by the biopesticides market in India includes lack of awareness amongst the farmers’ community. “Lack of awareness is causing the adaptability of biopesticides in India to remain low,” says Patidar.
The Indian biopesticides market is fragmented, with the top five companies occupying 9.83% share. The major players in this market include Coromandel International Ltd, GrowTech Agri Science Pvt Ltd, Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd, IPL Biologicals Ltd and T.Stanes and Company Ltd.
Of these, the highest share is held by Coramandal International, whose products offer not only an improved shelf life from 6 months to 2 years; but also a better spore count for microbial biopesticides, and superior formulation technology to provide better bio efficacy and shelf life. Coramandal currently sells its products through more than 750 stores in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka, and through more than 10,000 distributors across the country. “Our team of dedicated agronomists visits the farmers daily and advises them on usage of agriculture inputs for improving their crop productivity,” says Kothapalli. The company also leverages global partnerships to launch new products in India. It has collaborations with TNAU, ANGRAU, PJTSAU, IARI, ICAR and other research institutes in India.
The products of Growtech Agriscience and Research are distributed in six Indian states including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, West Bengal and Chattisgarh, says Patidar. These products mainly have soil and foliar application, he adds.
Future prospects
Coramandal expects the Indian biopesticide market to grow at a CAGR of 13% in the next five years. “We are strengthening our R&D to ensure product pipeline for the next 10 years. Our goal is to launch 1 or 2 unique biopesticides on annual basis,” says Kothapalli.
Growtech Agriscience, meanwhile, plans to increase farmer awareness by holding seminars, hoardings, etc. The sector’s future in India looks quite promising, says Patidar. •