AgroPages-Japan agchem sales down 2% in FY 2015-Agricultural news

Japan agchem sales down 2% in FY 2015

Japanese agrochemical sales fell by 1.9% to 337,443 million yen ($2,733.3 million at the current rate) in the fiscal year of 2015 ended September 30th 2015, according to the Japan Crop Protection Association (JCPA). Sales volume also dropped by 4.6% to 186,581 tons.

Sales in volume and value of all categories were down to some degree. Insecticides were the biggest section in sales volume, down by 8.3% to 63,059 tons, while sales in value dipped by 4.0% to 98,424 million yen (($ 797.2 million). Herbicides were the biggest category in sales value, slipped by 2.0% to 116,683 million yen (($ 945.1 million), sales volume was down by 1.8% to 60,382 tons. Sales in volume and value of fungicides were down by 3.2% and 0.1% to 37,952 tons and 74,840 million yen (($ 606.2 million), respectively. Insecticides/fungicides mixtures decreased by 2.8% and 0.8% in volume and value to 20,332 tons and 37,612 million yen (($ 304.7 million), respectively.

Sales of the paddy-field application category were down by 4.4% to 120,834 million yen ($ 978.8 million) and volume decreased by 7.7% to 63,261 tons. Almost half of herbicides were used for paddy crops. Sales for vegetable/upland farms application posted a 1.3% decrease to 119,138 million yen (($ 965 million), just a little less than paddy section. Sales for fruit trees application fell 0.9% at 49,779 million yen (($ 403.2 million), and volume was down by 4.1% to 18,673 tons.

Japanese agrochemical sales in fiscal year 2015¹
Category	Volume (tons/kL)	annual change%	Value (¥ mn)	annual change%
Paddy fields
Insecticides	11,682	-15.9	12,949	-10.8
Fungicides	6,547	-4.8	10,351	-5.3
Insecticides/fungicides	15,005	-5.2	32,711	-1.7
Herbicides	30,028	-5.9	64,824	-4.3
Subtotal	63,261	-7.7	120,834	-4.4
Fruit trees
Insecticides	7,657	-8.9	22,092	-2.7
Fungicides	6,228	-1.2	19,662	+0.8
Insecticides/fungicides	518	+3.2	362	+3.4
Herbicides	4,270	+0.4	7,663	-0.4
Subtotal	18,673	-4.1	49,779	-0.9
Vegetables/upland farms
Insecticides	40,149	-6.6	56,427	-3.4
Fungicides	24,164	-3.5	38,765	-0.7
Insecticides/fungicides	2,371	+4.0	2,822	+7.7
Herbicides	10,914	+2.1	21,124	+2.5
Subtotal	77,598	-4.2	119,138	-1.3
Other uses²
Insecticides	3,571	+2.0	6,956	+0.8
Fungicides	1,013	+2.9	6,062	+11.2
Insecticides/fungicides	2,438	+6.0	1,717	+2.9
Herbicides	15,170	+3.9	23,072	+0.3
Subtotal	22,192	+3.8	37,808	+2.1
Total
Insecticides	63,059	-8.3	98,424	-4.0
Fungicides	37,952	-3.2	74,840	-0.1
Insecticides/fungicides	20,332	-2.8	37,612	-0.8
Herbicides	60,382	-1.8	116,683	-2.0
Subtotal	181,725	-4.5	327,559	-2.1
Other sections³
Plant growth regulators	1,388	-10.6	5,097	-4.7
Rodenticides	30	+11.1	37	-7.5
Adjuvants	3,377	-4.3	2,998	-0.4
Others	63	+16.7	1,752	+52.3
Subtotal	4,858	-5.9	9,884	+3.5
Final Total	186,581	-4.6	337,443	-1.9
¹ Fiscal year 2015 extends from October 1st 2014 to September 30th 2015. ²Other uses: non-agricultural , forest, garden, golf ³Other sections: including plant growth regulators, rodenticides, adjuvants and biopesticides Source: Japan Crop Protection Association (JCPA)