US residential pesticide growth

US demand for home and garden pesticides is projected to grow by 4.8% annually to reach $1,700 million by 2011, according to the latest analysis of the sector by the US Freedonia Group (Cleveland, Ohio). The expected gains represent a "rebound from a difficult period", which was characterised by slow volume growth and price declines during the first years of the decade. Demand should be boosted by the introduction of new products, such as ready-to-use and super-concentrated formulations, Freedonia says.

 

Insecticides accounted for 59% of the $1,400 million US home and garden pesticide market in 2006. Herbicides, which accounted for 30% of the market, are expected to record slower growth due to the relative lack of new product introductions. Fungicides and other products made up 11% of the market. This sector is expected to register faster-than-average growth due to the increased use of specialised repellents and demand for more sophisticated fungicides to control lawn diseases.

 

Household pesticides, which dominate the market, are expected to record faster growth than lawn and garden pesticide applications. One contributory factor is a resurgence in sales of insect repellents. Once considered to be a mature market, the segment has been re-energised by heightened awareness of West Nile virus and other insect-borne pathogens, Freedonia comments.