December 2023
The number of chemical plant production substances available in Europe is dropping, reducing farmer options. This is exacerbated by the low number of products in the pipeline, which is six times less in Europe than in the rest of the world. Biocontrol products are not filling the gap because the return on investment in Europe is 30% below the global average. In Europe, the time to market for a biocontrol product is 7 – 9 years, compared with 2 – 3 years in other key global markets. This is stifling innovation in the biocontrol market.
Sources: Marchand, P.A. EU Chemical Plant Protection Products in 2023: Current State and Perspectives. Agrochemicals 2023, 2, 106-117. https://doi.org/10.3390/agrochemicals2010008 and EY Switzerland, What levers should be used for a better EU agriculture system? www.ey.com/en_ch/innovation/what-levers-should-be-used-for-a-better-eu-agriculture-system