A year of glyphosate

In year 2021, suppliers, buyers and growers all over the world are crazy about glyphosate. With the price of glyphosate skyrocketing, the problem of supply shortages has become more serious and is likely to continue until 2022. As the most used pesticide, the soaring price and supply shortage of glyphosate occupied the purchasing funds of agri-inputs to a high extent, and compressed the sales space of other pesticide categories and products. However, some herbicides considered as glyphosate alternatives have seen their sales increase due to glyphosate shortages. 

AgroPages has published a series of analysis articles in response to readers' concerns on glyphosate prices, supply and demand and future trends. As the year draws to a close, let's take a look back at what happened to glyphosate in 2021.  

Glyphosate price rising due to raw material price rise, purchase orders to Chinese manufacturers wait to be served till March

At the beginning of 2021, the price of glyphosate rose again to RMB29,000 per ton, mainly because of the much-contracted productions in glycine manufacturers in Hebei Province which experienced a sudden coronavirus outbreak again.

Glyphosate price to stay at high level, no planned capacity expansion within Chinese manufacturers

The price of glyphosate this year is expected to increase over the previous year while profitability beyond expectation is foreseen. However, considering current business statistics, all companies have appeared cautious, stating that there is no planned capacity expansion.

Will glyphosate price continue to rise? - Dialogue with suppliers and buyers

Concerning glyphosate's price rise and short supply, AgroPages communicated with global suppliers and buyers.

China Yunnan’s planned power cuts lead to yellow phosphorus price rise, resulting in record high glyphosate price

Affected by power cuts in Yunnan, China, the price of yellow phosphorus jumped up sharply. Soon afterwards, the price of glyphosate hit a record high to nearly RMB40,000 per ton.

Glyphosate price hit 10-year new high, expected to continue in the short term 

With the glyphosate price rising again, 95% of suppliers of glyphosate powder have increased their quotation up to RMB50,000-55,000 per ton, with exports quoted at US$8,000 per ton FOB. 

First-hand market research in Brazil: Glyphosate’s terminal-market price surged nearly 300%, increasing farmers' anxiety every day

The result of the research shows that the glyphosate market in South America is very tight, where inventory is insufficient even as the price is soaring. In Brazil, the soybean planting season is about to begin in September. In these circumstances, there is anxiety on the market, and there is not much time left for farmers.

The prices of glyphosate and glufosinate continue to be high, L-glufosinate meet new market opportunity in China

Due to the price rises of glyphosate and glufosinate, L-glufosinate, released just a year ago, quickly seized part of the glyphosate and glufosinate market, attracting widespread attention within the industry.

Price increase of diquat in Chinese market has surpassed glyphosate; Is diquat a new blockbuster product or short-term phenomenon?

The price of diquat technical concentrate 40% in the Chinese market rose from RMB35,000 per ton last month to RMB40,000 per ton, exceeding the price increase of glyphosate achieved over the same period. Why?

Price up nearly 50%, glufosinate price hit a six-year new high

In the global herbicide market, the dominant herbicide glyphosate hit its 10-year high price, followed by the price new high of the world’s second-largest GMO-tolerant herbicide glufosinate in the past six years, with a price increase of nearly 50% to RMB260,000 per ton since the beginning of the year.

Hurricane Ida affects electricity supply of Monsanto’s American factory, what glyphosate market outlook and price trend are expected?

Through analysis of long-term raw material price index, it is found that the price of glyphosate in China is affected by the price fluctuation of raw materials upstream, but the price impact is not immediately passed on to downstream sectors, which will take some time until downstream sectors are affected. Furthermore, the factors affecting the price fluctuation range are complex. The black swan events in the past two years mentioned in this paper acted like a catalyst, on top of the impacts of Covid-19, dollar devaluation and the global industrial chain restructuring. In this circumstance, the price of glyphosate has skyrocketed (lots of bulk chemical materials appeared the same as glyphosate) to a historical high.

Double control of energy consumption, power and production limit, the price of glyphosate breaks through RMB 80,000/ton 

A series of policies such as double control of energy consumption, power limit and production limit have caused the already "crazy" glyphosate market to raise prices again. In October, China’s domestic manufacturers are in a state of "no quotation, no orders", and the quotations of major glyphosate suppliers have exceeded RMB 80,000/ton, or even higher.

Yellow phosphorus price going down; glyphosate price still on the rise

The price of yellow phosphorus, the raw material, has plummeted from its historic high at RMB60,000-65,000 per ton in mid-September to RMB37,000, a drop of 38%. The sharp price rise and price fall of yellow phosphorus does not seem to influence the price tendency of glyphosate (RMB80,300 per ton in late October). 

Glyphosate price up nearly 200%, 3 companies achieving surged market performance

From below RMB28,000 per ton at the beginning of the year, the price of glyphosate rose to above RMB80,000 per ton in this October, which is a nearly 200% price rise. As a result, the listed companies in this industry sector have shown a bright performance in the 3rd quarter. 

High prices of glyphosate and glufosinate boosting global demand for paraquat

Today, with its affordable price, paraquat is again becoming popular, as the prices of glyphosate and glufosinate have increased and are likely to continue rising.

AgroPages will continue to report on glyphosate in 2022, and we welcome readers to write to us for any questions or point of views on this product.   

agropages@vip.163.com