2006-2007 Pesticide Market Estimates: Sales

2.1  World and U.S. Pesticide Expenditures

World pesticide expenditures totaled more than $35.8 billion in 2006 and more than $39.4 billion in 2007 See Table 2.1). Expenditures on herbicides accounted for the largest portion of total expenditures (approximately 40%), followed by expenditures on insecticides, fungicides, and other pesticides, respectively. Total expenditures increased in 2007 due to increased spending on all pesticide types.

U.S. pesticide expenditures totaled $11.8 billion in 2006 and $12.5 billion in 2007, in proportions similar to those of world expenditures, with a relatively larger proportion of total U.S. expenditures on herbicides (see Figure 2.1). In 2007, U.S. expenditures accounted for 32% of total world on pesticides, 38% of world expenditures on herbicides, 39% of world expenditures on insecticides, 15% of world expenditures on fungicides, and 25% of world expenditures on other pesticides. The Agency based its estimates of world and U.S. pesticide expenditures on the estimated pesticide expenditures and changes in pesticide expenditures from public and proprietary EPA databases. See Section 2.3 for a more detailed look at U.S. expenditures on pesticides in 2006 and 2007. See Section 5.1 for historical data on U.S. pesticide expenditures from 1988 to 2007.

2.2  Value of U.S. Pesticides: Producer Level

Table 2.2 summarizes the 2006 and 2007 average value of U.S. pesticides at the producer level. The table includes production, import, export, and supply (total and net). There was an annual average of $9.8 billion from domestic pesticide production, $1.6 billion imports, $2.1 billion exports, and $9.3 billion net supply at the producer level for 2006 and 2007.

2.3  Pesticide Expenditures in the U.S.: Users

U.S. expenditures at the user level for conventional and other pesticides totaled $11.8 billion in 2006 and $12.5 billion in 2007 (see Table 2.3). Pesticides included in the estimates are herbicides, plant growth regulators, insecticides, miticides, fungicides, nematicides, fumigants, sulfur, petroleum oil, and others. The estimates exclude expenditures on wood preservatives, specialty biocides, and chlorine/hypochlorites.

Increase in spending in the agricultural sector on all pesticide types and increases in spending in the non-agricultural sectors (industry/commercial/government and home and garden) in 2007 resulted in an increase in total 2007 expenditures. Expenditures in the agriculture sector accounted for nearly two-thirds of total expenditures in both years. Expenditures on herbicides and plant growth regulators dominated in all sectors except the home and garden sector, where insecticides comprised more than 60% of all expenditures. The Agency based its estimates of U.S. pesticide expenditures on the estimated pesticide expenditures and estimated changes in pesticide expenditures from public and proprietary EPA databases. See Section 5.1 for historical data on U.S. pesticide expenditures from 1988 to 2007.

As a result of limitations in the source data on U.S. pesticide expenditures, estimates provided in Table 2.3 group nematicides and fumigants, other miscellaneous conventional pesticides, and other chemicals used as pesticides into the “Other” category. Estimates of pounds of nematicides and fumigants, other miscellaneous conventional pesticides, and other chemicals used as pesticides are provided in Section 3 (see Table 3.4 and Table 3.11).

2.4  Farm Expenditures on Pesticides in the United States

Pesticides are a significant component of total farm expenditures and an important element of farm budgeting and management. U.S. pesticide expenditures in 2006 and 2007 totaled 3.1% and 2.8% of total farm expenditures, respectively (see Table 2.4). Both farm expenditures and pesticides expenditures increased in 2007. Total farm expenditures are based on USDA estimates, and pesticide expenditure estimates are based on Table 2.3.