Japan agrochemical sales up slightly in 2011

Agrochemical sales in Japan up by 0.9% to 331,871 mn yen ($4.3 billion at the current rate) in the 2011 pesticide year, which ran from October 2010 to September 2011, according to the Japan Crop Protection Association. It was the first rise in three years. The sales volume was 194,386 tons, up 0.1%, or almost unchanged from the previous year.

Sales value were higher for insecticides/fungicides and herbicides but lower for insecticides. Decreased demand due to farmland damage caused by the March earthquake was a concern, but sales were not affected in a big way.

The sales value for the paddy-field application category was 124,791 mn yen, up 4.0%, consisting of 13,613 mn yen for insecticides, up 2.5%; 12,442 mn yen for fungicides, up 1.6%; 33,086 mn yen for insecticides/fungicides, up 6.8%; and 65,650 mn yen for herbicides, up 3.4%.

Volume amounted to 72,113 tons for paddy fields, down 0.3%; 19,544 tons for fruit trees, up 2.0%; 83,900 tons for vegetables and upland farms, up 2.3%; 13,212 tons for "others”, down 12.5%; and 5,616 tons for “unclassified”, up 0.1%.

Japanese agrochemical sales in 2010/2011
	Volume (tons, kL)	annual % change	Value (¥1 mn)	annual % change
Paddy fields
Insecticides	14,278	-4.1	13,613	2.5
Fungicides	8,525	-9.9	12,442	1.6
Insecticides/fungicides	17,620	2.6	33,086	6.8
Herbicides	31,690	2.9	65,650	3.4
Subtotal	72,113	-0.3	124,791	4.0
Fruit trees
Insecticides	9,025	2.3	22,260	-0.4
Fungicides	6,561	-1.2	19,099	2.0
Insecticides/fungicides	337	20.4	331	19.9
Herbicides	3,621	5.9	9,663	9.7
Subtotal	19,544	2.0	51,352	2.4
Vegetables/upland farms
Insecticides	44,372	-0.5	54,642	-3.6
Fungicides	26,791	10.4	38,953	0.1
Insecticides/fungicides	1,861	-31.5	1,674	-24.0
Herbicides	10,875	4.1	20,325	6.3
Subtotal	83,900	2.3	115,594	-1.1
Others
Insecticides	2,265	-23.1	5,128	-14.7
Fungicides	919	1.5	4,716	-4.2
Insecticides/fungicides	404	-74.6	288	-71.4
Herbicides	9,624	-0.4	19,102	0.4
Subtotal	13,212	-12.5	29,234	-5.6
Unclassified
Insecticides	2,017	5.3	7,130	3.4
Fungicides	28	-3.4	33	-5.7
Insecticides/fungicides	3,545	-2.0	3,012	-2.0
Herbicides	27	-41.3	724	-24.1
Subtotal	5,616	0.1	10,899	-0.5
Total	194,386	0.1	331,871	0.9
Notes: The pesticide year (PY) extends from October to September in the following year. The PY 2011 figures cover October 2010-September 2011. Source: Japan Crop Protection Association (JCPA)

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