Compared with herbicides and insecticides, fungicides prices were generally stable in 2015. A small number of fungicide varieties saw price increases. Carbendazim and chlorothalonil are key examples. Some fungicide varieties, like difenoconazole and propiconazol, remained at low prices because of the slack market demand.
New changes in end market
2015 saw new changes in the fungicide end-market. Fungicide mixed formulations were growing rapidly, replacing the single formulations. There was an increasing application of fungicides which are used as seed coating. Producers began to mix fungicides with plant growth regulators.
According to the National Agro-Tech Extension and Service Center (NATESC)’s forecast, the demand for fungicides will decline to 82,700 tonnes in 2016, down by 9.25% YoY.
l Strongly demanded: carbendazim, tricyclazole, chlorothalonil, jingangmycin, tricyclazole, chlorothalonil, ethylenebisdithiocarbomates (EBDCs) fungicides, thiophanate-methyl, triadimefon, jingangmycin, isoprothiolane, copper sulfate, copper hydroxide
l Soar in demand: hexaconazole, fludioxonil, azoxystrobin, prochloraz, pyraclostrobin, bacillus subtilis, coumoxystrobin, kresoxim-methyl
In 2016, there will be a continuation of the environmental protection pressures on the Chinese pesticide industry. The current trends, including the elimination excessive capacity, production technology upgrades and declining grain prices, will continue. The demand for pesticides will inevitably change. The fungicide technical market will continue to be facing an intensive price war, and profit margins may be threatened. CCM will follow up on the fungicide market dynamics and make the corresponding analysis.