Japan agrochemical sales up 1.3% in 2012

Agrochemical sales in Japan continued its growth for the second year, slightly up by 1.3% to 332,980 million yen ($3.90 billion at the current rate) in the 2012 pesticide year, which ran from October 2011 to September 2012, according to the Japan Crop Protection Association. The sales volume was 197,003 tons, up by 0.7%.

Herbicides were the largest category for sales up by 3.2% to 113,395 million yen ($1.32 billion), volume of this section was up 4.8% to 58,985 tons. Insecticides/fungicides posted 3.4% increase to 35,896 million yen ($420.0 million), while volume rose by 6.4% to 21,698 tons. Insecticides grew by 2.5% to 99,717 million yen ($1.17 billion) with volume of 71,361 tons, up by 1.7%. Fungicides drop by 3.1% to 73,718 million yen ($862.50 million), and volume also down by 8.2% to 39,575 tons.

The sales value for the paddy-field application category was 120,858 million yen ($1.41 billion), down by 1.1% and volume down by 5.4% to 68,441 tons. Remarkable sales performance of insecticides/fungicides category in fruit trees boosted this section with sales 50,712 million yen ($593.33 million), up by 0.9%. Sales volume was down by 1.5% to 83,166 tons, and value reached 117,261 million yen ($1.37 billion), slightly up 0.7%. The “others uses” section, which including non-agricultural, garden, golf uses, saw the largest increase in both volume and value, while the former boosted by 48.8% to 20,163 tons and value reached 33,894 million yen ($396.56 million), up by 16.2%.

Japanese agrochemical sales in fiscal year 20121
Category	Volume (tons, kL)	annual % change	Value (¥1 mn)	annual % change
Paddy fields
Insecticides	13,603	-4.8	13,242	-3.1
Fungicides	7,303	-15.6	10,941	-13.1
Insecticides/fungicides	16,635	-5.6	32,117	-0.7
Herbicides	30,900	-2.8	64,559	+1.5
Subtotal	68,441	-5.4	120,858	-1.1
Fruit trees
Insecticides	8,953	-1.4	23,125	+2.5
Fungicides	6,451	-1.9	18,555	-3.6
Insecticides/fungicides	511	+51.6	475	+43.5
Herbicides	3,933	+6.7	8,557	+5.2
Subtotal	19,849	+0.9	50,712	+0.9
Vegetables/upland farms
Insecticides	45,082	+1.2	56,790	+1.9
Fungicides	24,799	-7.8	38,955	-1.0
Insecticides/fungicides	2,326	+14.8	1,997	+13.8
Herbicides	10,960	flat	19,519	-0.2
Subtotal	83,166	-1.5	117,261	+0.7
Others uses2
Insecticides	3,723	+62.2	6,560	+22.3
Fungicides	1,022	+3.3	5,267	+7.4
Insecticides/fungicides	2,226	+451.0	1,307	+361.8
Herbicides	13,192	+33.7	20,760	+11.6
Subtotal	20,163	+48.8	33,894	+16.2
Total
Insecticides	71,361	+1.7	99,717	+2.5
Fungicides	39,575	-8.2	73,718	-3.1
Insecticides/fungicides	21,698	+6.4	35,896	+3.4
Herbicides	58,985	+4.8	113,395	+3.2
Subtotal	191,619	+0.8	322,726	+1.5
Other sections3
Plant growth regulators	1,616	-20.2	6,621	-8.1
Rodenticides	48	+71.4	61	+79.4
Adjuvants	3,670	+3.6	2,645	+0.3
Others	51	+37.8	929	+24.7
Subtotal	5,385	-4.4	10,256	-3.4
Final Total	197,003	+0.7	332,980	+1.3
1 Fiscal year 2012 extends from October 2011 to September 2012. 2 Other uses: non-agricultural , garden, golf 3 Other sections: including plant growth regulators, rodenticides, adjuvants and biopesticides Source: Japan Crop Protection Association (JCPA)