Agricultural Enzymes Market

Market Overview

The global agricultural enzymes market size was valued at USD 316.66 million in 2022. It is estimated to reach USD 548.77 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period (2023–2031). The world is transitioning towards organic farming from conventional farming practices owing to its health and several other benefits, thereby driving the global agricultural enzymes market, as enzymes are bio-degradable. In addition, there is a growing demand for biological agricultural products due to their minimal environmental impact, boosting market expansion.

Agricultural enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions to release soil nutrients. Agricultural enzymes release soil nutrients and make them accessible to plant roots. These nutrients would have remained insoluble in the soil and inaccessible to the plants in the absence of an agricultural enzyme. These enzymes improve the yield and quality of plants by decontaminating soil treated with pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers.

Agricultural enzymes are widely used in the bioprocessing of fibers, enzyme-assisted silage fermentation, processing of crops and crop residues, and production of various animal feed supplements, as they neutralize both acidic and basic soils. Moreover, they defend the crops from several pests and illnesses. Through the optimal and advantageous balancing of the biological, chemical, and physical components of soil, enzymatic activity contributes to the maintenance of soil health.

Market Dynamics

Global Agricultural Enzymes Market Drivers

Growing Demand for Organic Food

The soaring demand for organic food worldwide and the growing awareness among people about the unsafe properties of pesticides have surged the demand for agricultural enzymes over the years. Enzymes have properties that allow them to function at low concentrations, low temperatures, a mild pH, and with minimal amounts of water. Biodegradable enzymes are a popular option in organic and sustainable agriculture.

In addition, the increased use of natural biological products, such as agricultural enzymes, led to a 2% increase in organic food sales in 2021, to a total of USD 57.5 billion. This compares to growth rates of 12.8% in 2020 and 4.6% in 2019. Hence, increasing consumption of organic food sales and a move in consumer trends toward the progress of individual fitness and consumption of healthy food will likely fuel the demand in the agricultural enzymes market over the years.

Increasing Adoption of Biological Agricultural Products

The rapidly growing population and the increase in urbanization encourage the adoption of biological agricultural products worldwide, such as biopesticides, bio-stimulants, and natural enzymes. Plant Protection Products (PPP) such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides are detrimental to human health and the environment. In addition, various products were removed from the market either because they were restricted or their restoration was not supported during re-registration. Using biological product enzymes reduces the dependence on agrochemicals, thus reducing the exposure to chemicals and decreasing the environmental impact. All these factors are major drivers boosting global agricultural enzyme growth.

Global Agricultural Enzymes Market Restraint

Government Regulatory Barriers

The governing environment for agricultural enzymes differs among countries and regions. In some countries, biological agricultural enzymes are listed under specific regulations or may be registered similarly to chemical plant protection products. Occasionally, there may be a reduction in the necessary data prerequisites, while in other instances, there can be an absence of an established protocol for their documentation.

Furthermore, government regulations for producing agricultural enzymes are very strict in countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United States. As per the US Food and Drug Administration, if the recognized biological product problem is not rectified within a specified period, the trade of the respective product can be delimited. This would restrict the global agricultural enzyme market growth in the coming year.

Global Agricultural Enzymes Market Opportunities

Increased R&D and Market Strategies by Key Players

Large agribusinesses and crop protection companies worldwide have moved toward biological products, such as agricultural enzymes, through product innovation and internal R&D efforts. There has been increasing initiative from various global key players to expedite the growth of the global agricultural enzyme market. For instance, in April 2021, BASF engaged with Sandoz GmbH to invest in Austria's Kundl/Schaftenau Campus. This deal enables it further to develop its production footprint for enzymes and biotechnology products.

Similarly, in March 2021, Nutrien AG Solutions announced a partnership with Elemental Enzymes, a leading agricultural biotechnology company, for a peptide-based biochemical pesticide to combat fungal and bacterial illnesses, including Huanglongbing, otherwise known as citrus greening. Currently, 100% of the acres in Florida are impacted by citrus greening. Therefore, the R&D announcements of the key players for partnership and product launched will create opportunities for the growth of the agricultural enzymes market during the forecast period.

Regional Analysis

North America Dominates the Global Market

Based on region, the global agricultural enzymes market is bifurcated into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Middle East and Africa.

North America is the most significant global agricultural enzymes market shareholder and is anticipated to exhibit a CAGR of 6.02% during the forecast period. North America is among the world's leading consumers of agricultural enzymes. The United States is one of the largest markets in North America for agricultural enzymes. The country is highly advanced in its adoption of modern agricultural technologies. In this country, the demand for agricultural enzymes is driven by the rising price of chemical inputs, their negative impact on soil mass and the environment, and the growing awareness of the importance of balanced plant nutrition. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) rolled out its new USD 300 million Organic Transition Initiative in August 2022. According to the program, concrete steps will be taken to build the next generation of organic farmers and strengthen organic supply chains. Such programs are anticipated to increase the use of bio-based inputs, thereby expanding the national market.

Canada is also leaning toward bio-based agriculture to improve crop productivity and quality during the early stages of growth. The demand for agricultural enzymes in Canada is increasing due to agricultural land expansion, agricultural sector investment improvement, and government support.

Europe is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 6.71% over the forecast period. Increasing consumers' inclination toward organic food intensifies the European region's agricultural enzyme market. For instance, as per FiBL report 2022, the per-capita spending on organic food in France accounted for EUR 188, leading to one of the highest retail sales in organic foods with 12.7 billion euros, estimated to boost the market's demand. Many leading players have increased the penetration of the agricultural enzymes sector in the region, and the companies are collaborating with different domestic players for a strong product portfolio imprint in the coming years. For instance, in August 2017, Advanced Enzyme Technologies, a leading specialty biotech company with global leadership in the manufacturing of enzymes, with wholly-owned subsidiary Advanced Enzymes Europe BV, entered into a binding agreement with Germany-based Evoxx Technologies GmbH to acquire a 100% stake for a consideration value of EUR 7.65 million, to expand product innovation capabilities in the country. Therefore, the factors above reveal the potential increase in the application of agricultural enzymes in the farming practices in the country.

The Asia-Pacific region is growing at the quickest rate. Increasing industrialization and urbanization enhanced soil pollution, a severe environmental issue in emerging nations of the region like China and India over the past few decades. For instance, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the Ministry of Natural Resources stated that 19.4% of agricultural land in soil survey points exceeded Level II specifications of the Soil Environmental Quality Standard with the addition of contaminants like cadmium, copper, mercury, arsenic, lead, nickel, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), thereby enhances the demand of the agricultural enzymes in the market. Similarly, in 2020, the government of Thailand announced a budget allocation of Bt 1.9 billion to boost organic farming to facilitate 209 agricultural projects in the country. The pilot projects involved R&D for agriculture, the creation of new products and services, and the development of markets for the products, which are anticipated to boost the market demand.

Brazil dominated the South American market. Rising adoption of organic farming in cultivated land raised organic land in the country from 1.28 metric hectares in 2019 to 1.31 million hectares, improving a 2.7% growth rate annually, with an accumulation of biocontrol agents on the addition of urease enzymes to fix nitrogen in the soil, thereby witnessing demand of the agricultural enzymes to propel nutrient absorption from the root zone of the plant and balances soil health in the country. Therefore, the rising participation of soil enzymes in processes essential to environmental quality and plant productivity is projecting the growth of agricultural enzymes in the market during the forecast period.

Segmental Analysis

The global agricultural enzymes market is segmented by enzyme type, application, and crop type.

Based on enzyme type, the global agricultural enzymes market is segmented into phosphatases, dehydrogenases, ureases, proteases, and other enzyme types. 

The phosphatases segment dominates the global market and is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% throughout the forecast period. Phosphatases are agricultural enzymes that growers predominantly use to enhance phosphorus uptake in deficit areas so that they can be available for both plants and soil organisms. Most of the P fertilizers applied to the agricultural land are eroded due to excess application, resulting in losses to rivers and lakes, causing a negative influence on water quality and the environment. In addition, phosphatase enzymes are vital in addressing the P imbalance. The negative P imbalance is witnessed mainly in regions such as Africa, South America, and Central and Eastern Europe, primarily due to soil erosion and, in some areas, due to organic P management. Therefore, the need to improve the P uptake to increase crop yields is anticipated to drive the phosphatase enzyme market.

Protease enzymes are mainly involved in the hydrolysis of protein components of organic nitrogen to simple amino acids, which is an important step in the nitrogen cycle. They help in the plant growth regulation activity, further boosting the overall plant growth. The protease comprises different enzymes that catalyze the reactions. However, they differ in several characteristics, such as molecular structure, type of reaction catalyzed, and affinity of the active site for substrates. The use of protease increases the microbial activity in the soil, boosting plant growth, which is expected to drive the market during the forecast period.

Based on the application, the global agricultural enzymes market is segmented into crop protection, fertility, and plant growth regulation. 

The fertility segment owns the highest market share and is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 6.61% during the forecast period. Agricultural enzymes can be used to indicate microbial nutrient demand, soil health, and quality. For example, proteases degrade proteins and boost the amount of available nitrogen in the soil, thereby enhancing soil fertility. The soil deficiency problem worldwide can be acted upon using agricultural enzymes. Australia has seen significant phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen deficits, adversely affecting crop productivity. The deployment of various enzymes can indicate soil fertility, enabling healthy plant growth.

Agricultural enzymes provide nutrients to plants and aid in the initial development of seeds, like rooting and sprouting. Root, stem, and fruits grow stronger later, helping attain the best possible growth and yield. The enzymes develop resistance in crops against water stress, improving the assimilation of nutrients. Enzymatic activity helps in improving soil health, thus providing nutrients to crops and strength to grow even in adverse conditions.

Based on crop type, the global agricultural enzymes market is segmented into grains and cereals, oilseeds and pulses, fruits and vegetables, and other crop types. 

The grains and cereal segment is the largest revenue contributor to the market and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 6.12% over the forecast period. Grains and cereals are affordable sources of carbohydrates and are grown worldwide to feed the growing demand. In recent years, agricultural enzymes have been gaining popularity in grain and cereal crops as an alternative to conventional chemicals. They are being used as part of integrated crop management. In addition, agricultural enzymes help detect early changes in soil health as they respond to soil management changes and environmental factors much sooner than other soil quality parameters. They have a huge role in the processing of cereals, enhancing the quality of crops.

The use of agricultural enzymes is relatively known and very popular in fruit and vegetable crops. The environmental concern over the high usage of chemicals in agricultural lands and 96 relatively severe chemical residue issues in fruit and vegetable crops have led to the use of safer options, like enzymes. The enzyme activity boosts numerous measurable parameters, like the number of fruits, their sugar content, their weight and size, their shelf life after harvest, and even the nutritional content of some fruits and vegetables.

Recent Developments

• December 2022- Ginkgo Bioworks, which is constructing the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity, announced the launch of Ginkgo Enzyme Services today, enabling applications across pharmaceuticals and diagnostics, food and agriculture, and beyond.
• June 2023- Paine Schwartz Partners, a global leader in sustainable food chain investing, finalized a strategic growth investment by Paine Schwartz Food Chain Fund VI in Elemental Enzymes (the "Company"), a pioneer of naturally occurring enzymes and biochemicals for commercial agriculture.