Title: Annual global glyphosate consumption expected to pass A$26 billion by 2030
The world is awash with glyphosate and it is getting worse. Figures released by MMR this week show the global market for glyphosate was valued at almost $A17 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach more than A$26 billion by 2030, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.81 % during the forecasted period.
Glyphosate is the world's most recklessly used herbicide. The toxin is used to kill vegetation in agriculture, horticulture and garden maintenance, for example, in recreation areas and public parks.
As a post-emergent herbicide, glyphosate targets weeds after plant emergence, especially in genetically engineered crops that are designed to be tolerant to glyphosate, such as corn, soybeans, and cotton.
The expansion of genetically modified (GM) crops, such as glyphosate-tolerant soybeans, cotton, and corn, is a major driver of growth in the glyphosate market, especially in Australia. These crops, which are genetically modified to be resistant to the herbicide, allow farmers to kill unwanted plants without damaging the crops themselves. This has significantly increased the adoption of glyphosate in regions with large-scale agricultural practices, particularly in North and South America, as well as East and South Asia and Australia.
Furthermore, the growing global demand for higher crop yields and industrial farming techniques, coupled with glyphosate's low cost is forecast to continue to boost its usage across various use sectors, from agriculture to public and private land management.
As farming practices become more industrialised, for example to grow biofuels, and the use of herbicide-tolerant crops increases, the market for glyphosate is expected to continue to grow relentlessly.
However, glyphosate is coming under increased scrutiny because of its impacts on human health and global ecosystems. Currently about 36 million square kilometres are poisoned with more than 800 thousand tonnes of glyphosate every year and residues are found even in the most remote areas of the planet.
According to figures released by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), Australia's annual use exceeded 58 thousand tonnes in 2023, making Australia a major global hotspot for glyphosate pollution.
