The agricultural wastewater treatment market was estimated to be more than USD 2,100 million in 2021, registering a CAGR of more than 4% during the forecast period (2022-2027).



The COVID-19 pandemic affected the market negatively. However, the market is expected to grow steadily during the forecast period.



Key Highlights


  • Rapidly diminishing freshwater resources and rising agricultural water demand are likely to drive the demand for the studied market.

  • On the flip side, a dearth of awareness regarding agriculture wastewater treatment is expected to hinder the market growth.

  • Growing investments and active research on water treatment technologies are expected to provide a major growth opportunity for the market studied.

  • Asia-Pacific accounted for the highest share of the market and is likely to continue dominating the market during the forecast period.



Agricultural Wastewater Treatment Market Trends



Non-Crop Segment to Dominate the Market




  • Non-crop is by far the largest application for agricultural wastewater treatment across the world and is increasing at a steady rate.

  • This segment primarily includes feed production and also dairy farms and poultry. Despite low calorie and protein supply as compared to plant-based food, livestock, meat, and dairy still hold the largest share in terms of consumption.

  • This scenario, in turn, is boosting the demand for water treatment applications in the non-crop sector.

  • Asia-Pacific is the second-most active region for processed food globally in terms of poultry. New product development (NPD) accounts for 24% of processed meat, poultry, and fish product innovations in the region, led by China, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

  • African swine fever (ASF) further stimulated chicken expansion in Asia in 2020. Southeast Asia’s poultry production expanded by 56% in the last decade, growing from 5.9 million metric tons (mmt) to 9.2 mmt in 2018. It is expected to reach 12.3 mmt by 2028.

  • According to FAO, the demand for dairy products has exhibited positive signs after a slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Hence, the non-crop segment is expected to dominate the market in the forecast period.



China to Dominate the Asia-Pacific Market




  • China accounts for approximately 7% of the overall agricultural acreage globally, thus feeding 22% of the world population. The country is the largest producer of various crops, including rice, cotton, potatoes, and other vegetables. Hence, the demand for agricultural wastewater treatment is rapidly increasing in the country.

  • The population of China has grown at a staggering rate in the past decade, and more than half of the population now live in cities. With the government promoting economic growth, urbanization is on the rise. This is expected to increase the demand for improvement in agricultural wastewater infrastructure.

  • In 2022, chicken meat production in China is expected to exceed 2021 as prices rebound, demand boosts national consumption, and new facilities expand production capacity. The resultant growth is expected to be around 20%.

  • Meanwhile, total exports of chicken meat to China are forecast to grow by 4% next year.

  • In 2021, farmers in China produced around 212.84 million metric tons of rice. At the same time, the production volume of wheat amounted to approximately 136.95 million metric tons in China. The production volume of rice, wheat, and corn in China increased continuously until 2015, remained flat thereafter, but grew again in 2021.

  • Based on the aforementioned aspects, China is expected to dominate the Asia-Pacific region.



Agricultural Wastewater Treatment Market Competitor Analysis



The agriculture wastewater treatment market is fragmented, with the presence of majorly multinational players. Some of the major players in the market (in no particular order) include Veolia Environnement SA, Suez SA, Evoqua Water Technologies LLC, DuPont, and Jacobs.



Additional Benefits:



  • The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format

  • 3 months of analyst support