RNAi Pesticides Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global RNAi Pesticides Market is projected to expand from USD 1.72 Billion in 2025 to USD 3.04 Billion by 2031, registering a compound annual growth rate of 9.96%. These pesticides function by utilizing double-stranded RNA sequences to induce gene silencing in targeted pests, thereby inhibiting essential protein synthesis and causing mortality without harming non-target organisms. The market is largely propelled by the critical global requirement for agricultural produce free of residues and the mounting resistance of pests to traditional chemical synthetics. Additionally, supportive regulatory frameworks that expedite the approval of biological crop protection agents provide a solid foundation for industry expansion, distinguishing it from temporary adoption trends.

Despite this potential, the sector encounters a significant hurdle regarding the high expense of double-stranded RNA production and its rapid degradation in environmental conditions, which complicates field application. However, commercial confidence in the broader sector remains robust, as reflected in recent industry statistics. Data from the International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association indicates that in 2024, the European biocontrol market reached a value of 1.6 billion euros following a doubling of the sector size since 2016. This substantial growth in the parent industry highlights the increasing commercial feasibility of biological alternatives such as RNAi.

Market Drivers

The escalating resistance of pests to conventional chemical pesticides serves as the primary catalyst driving the Global RNAi Pesticides Market. As target organisms develop immunity to existing synthetic compounds, the agricultural sector confronts diminishing yield security and spiraling control costs, creating an urgent imperative for novel modes of action like RNA interference that can silence specific genes. This economic pressure is severe and underscores the financial necessity for effective biological alternatives; according to Potato Business in January 2024, the growing issue of chemical pesticide resistance is predicted to cost the United States agricultural sector at least USD 10 billion annually, prompting growers to seek solutions that bypass these resistance mechanisms while preserving environmental integrity.

Simultaneously, technological breakthroughs in RNAi delivery and formulation stability are effectively dismantling historical barriers related to field persistence and production costs. Recent innovations have enabled the encapsulation of double-stranded RNA in robust carriers, ensuring efficacy in diverse environmental conditions and securing regulatory validation. For instance, according to GreenLight Biosciences in January 2024, field trials for its newly registered Calantha bioinsecticide demonstrated effective pest control with application rates as low as 4 grams per acre. Such precision demonstrates the sector's progress in creating stable, field-ready products, which is further attracting significant capital; illustrating this investment momentum, AgroSpheres secured $37 million in Series B funding in September 2024 to scale its proprietary biomanufacturing and delivery platform.

Market Challenges

The high cost of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) production combined with its rapid environmental degradation constitutes a severe impediment to the commercial scalability of the Global RNAi Pesticides Market. Manufacturing these specialized RNA sequences involves complex fermentation or chemical synthesis processes that remain significantly more expensive than conventional agrochemicals, making the final product economically unfeasible for many low-margin staple crops. This price disparity limits the technology's competitiveness, forcing manufacturers to restrict their focus to high-value niche markets rather than broad-acre agriculture.

Furthermore, the inherent instability of naked dsRNA, which breaks down quickly under UV light and rain, necessitates the development of sophisticated encapsulation technologies. This requirement adds layers of technical complexity and developmental expense, further delaying market entry. According to CropLife International, in 2024, the average cost to discover, develop, and register a new crop protection active ingredient reached $301 million, with a development timeline extending over 12 years. These immense capital and time requirements create high barriers to entry, discouraging investment from smaller biotech firms and slowing the overall rate of product commercialization within the RNAi sector.

Market Trends

The commercialization of sprayable and topical RNAi biopesticides is rapidly transitioning from experimental field trials to active market penetration, supported by substantial late-stage capital injections aimed at scaling manufacturing capabilities. As the technology matures, companies are securing the necessary financial resources to expand production capacities for foliar-applied solutions that offer residue-free pest control. Illustrating this push toward mass-market availability, according to GreenLight Biosciences in March 2025, the company closed a $25 million Series C funding round led by Just Climate to support the commercial rollout of its registered RNA-based crop protection products, highlighting the industry's shift from discovery to commercial execution.

Strategic collaborations between agrochemical giants and biotech startups are simultaneously reshaping the competitive landscape by combining the specialized gene-silencing platforms of emerging firms with the global distribution networks of established incumbents. These partnerships allow large multinationals to rapidly integrate cutting-edge gene-editing and RNAi traits into their portfolios while providing smaller innovators access to vast international markets. For instance, according to Syngenta Vegetable Seeds in May 2025, the company entered a collaboration with Tropic to deploy the Gene Editing induced Gene Silencing (GEiGS) technology across its global footprint, which spans more than 90 countries, underscoring a symbiotic business model where the immense commercial reach of legacy agrochemical players is leveraged to accelerate the deployment of precise biological traits.

Key Players Profiled in the RNAi Pesticides Market

• Bayer CropScience
• Syngenta
• Corteva Agriscience
• Evogene
• RNAissance
• Benson Hill
• Vestaron
• AgBiome
• DSV Biotech
• NRC

Report Scope

In this report, the Global RNAi Pesticides Market has been segmented into the following categories:

RNAi Pesticides Market, by Application:

• Insect Pest Control
• Weed Management
• Disease Management
• Resistance Management

RNAi Pesticides Market, by Crop Type:

• Agricultural Application
• Non-Agricultural Application

RNAi Pesticides Market, by Product:

• Tropical RNAi Pesticide
• Seed Embedded RANi
• Transgenic RNAi
• Others

RNAi Pesticides Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global RNAi Pesticides Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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