Biostimulant use continues to gain acceptance in North America, including with U.S. farmers, thanks to a favorable regulatory picture and increased consumer demand for organic produce, according to a new report from Global Market Insights (GMI), Inc.
The company says the North America biostimulants market is likely to surpass $1.2 billion by 2026 and $5 billion globally by that same year. The North America market was valued at $0.68 billion in 2018.
Biostimulants have the ability to increase germination, improve nutrient uptake, enhance nutrient-use efficiency and increase tolerance to and recovery from abiotic stresses (salt, water, heat and heavy metals), according to the Biological Products Industry Alliance (BPIA).
Fred Below, University of Illinois plant physiologist, adds that biostimulants and other biological products are not cure-alls for various agronomic problems – insects, disease, inclement weather and weeds – that can affect row crops, vegetables and fruits.
“They (Biologicals) are here to stay and are going to be key management practices in our quest for high yields, but you better understand how they work and what they do, if you’ll have any clue of how to best use them,” Below says.
Earlier this year, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) and the Biostimulant Coalition formed the Biostimulant Council to address the emerging industry by providing a regulatory framework to increase farmers’ access to biostimulants and to also encourage research and innovation.
“Biostimulants are an important and growing area of crop nutrition,” TFI President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch said in a news release. “The Biostimulant Coalition has achieved great success as the voice of an emerging industry, and we are excited about the potential to achieve even more with the additional resources of TFI fully behind the effort.”
The Biological Products Industry Alliance lists biostimulants as one of three broad biological categories, which also includes biopesticides and biofertilizers. Keith Jones, BPIA executive director recently told Farm Journal editors he estimates 200 manufacturers currently market biostimulants in the U.S.
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