Japan agrochemical sales up 5% in H1 2013

Sales of Japanese agrochemicals increased 4.8% compared with the same period of previous year to 221,182 million yen ($2,234 million at the current rate) in the first half fiscal year of 2013 which ended March 31st, according to the Japan Crop Protection Association. Sales volume of agrochemicals in the first half year slipped slightly by 1.3% to 114,707 tons.

Major categories all archived sales growth in value in the first half year. Herbicides held first place in sales value among all categories, with sales reaching 82,066 million yen ($829 million), up by 8.0%, followed by insecticides, with sales 59,568 million yen ($602 million), up by 1.7%. Fungicides rose by 1.2% to 47,513 million yen ($480 million). Insecticides/fungicides category posted the largest growth by 11.2% to 26,455 million yen ($267 million). For sales volume, herbicides increased by 2.5% to 37,151 tons, and insecticides/fungicides were up by 1% to 36,238 tons. The other two categories declined both by 3.6% (insecticides) and 4.4% (fungicides), respectively.

The sales value for the paddy-field application category was 85,084 million yen ($859 million), up by 4.4% and volume down by 1.3% to 42,852 tons. Sales value for agrochemicals used in fruit trees also grew by 4.9% to 36,060 million yen ($364 million) and volume dropped by 0.6% to 14,342 tons. It's worth mentioning that sale of rodenticides suffered significant declines which over 90% both in value and volume in the first half year.

Japanese agrochemical sales in H1 20131
Category	Volume			Value
	2012 (tons, kL)	2013 (tons, kL)	% change	2012 (¥ mn)	2013 (¥ mn)	% change
Paddy fields
Insecticides	6,857	6,617	-3.5	6,749	6,971	+3.3
Fungicides	4,273	3,819	-10.6	6,665	6,359	-4.6
Insecticides/fungicides	10,874	11,273	+3.7	21,855	23,995	+9.8
Herbicides	21,427	21,142	-1.3	46,264	47,759	+3.2
Subtotal	43,431	42,852	-1.3	81,533	85,084	+4.4
Fruit trees
Insecticides	7,040	6,864	-2.5	15,654	15,981	+2.1
Fungicides	4,568	4,655	+1.9	12,911	14,141	+9.5
Insecticides/fungicides	322	210	-34.8	224	147	-34.4
Herbicides	2,501	2,613	+4.5	5,577	5,790	+3.8
Subtotal	14,430	14,342	-0.6	34,365	36,060	+4.9
Vegetables/upland farms
Insecticides	24,734	23,652	-4.4	32,707	32,978	+0.8
Fungicides	13,832	13,207	-4.5	25,534	25,265	-1.1
Insecticides/fungicides	1,000	913	-8.7	876	1,515	+72.9
Herbicides	5,816	5,979	+2.8	12,820	13,224	+3.2
Subtotal	45,382	43,751	-3.6	71,936	72,981	+1.5
Others uses2
Insecticides	1,974	2,010	+1.8	3,437	3,638	+5.8
Fungicides	380	365	-3.9	1,824	1,748	-4.2
Insecticides/fungicides	1,154	1,081	-6.3	845	798	-5.6
Herbicides	6,494	7,417	+14.2	11,301	15,293	+35.3
Subtotal	10,002	10,874	+8.7	17,407	21,476	+23.4
Total
Insecticides	40,605	39,143	-3.6	58,547	59,568	+1.7
Fungicides	23,053	22,046	-4.4	46,934	47,513	+1.2
Insecticides/fungicides	13,350	13,477	+1.0	23,800	26,455	+11.2
Herbicides	36,238	37,151	+2.5	75,962	82,066	+8.0
Subtotal	113,246	111,817	-1.3	205,243	215,602	+5.0
Other sections3
Plant growth regulators	1,045	997	-4.6	3,957	3,804	-3.9
Rodenticides	25	2	-92.0	32	2	-93.7
Adjuvants	1,931	1,861	-3.6	1,444	1,416	-1.9
Others	25	30	+20.0	362	359	-0.8
Subtotal	3,025	2,890	-4.5	5,794	5,581	-3.7
Final Total	116,270	114,707	-1.3	211,036	221,182	+4.8
1 First half year of fiscal 2013 extends from October 1st, 2012 to March 31st, 2013. 2 Other uses: non-agricultural , garden, golf 3 Other sections: including plant growth regulators, rodenticides, adjuvants and biopesticides Source: Japan Crop Protection Association (JCPA)