However, the decline was not uniform across geographical regions, and the pesticide markets in North America, Latin America and East Asia have all continued to grow. The Indian market for pesticides is expanding slowly. Pesticide sales in the Middle East are stable. Africa remains the continent with the lowest use of pesticides due to drought and poverty, and industry expects no increase in sales. In Latin America, Brazil remains the major consumer.
Sales are stable in Argentina, but show growth in Colombia and Mexico.
This policy has been an acknowledged success, not only in reducing pesticide use but also in maintaining and, in some cases, increasing yields. The tightening up of the agrochemical market has resulted in a number of companies reorganizing and introducing cost- cutting exercises, while others have merged their interests. American Cyanamid has a strong herbicide portfolio, and the acquisition of Shell will bolster its fungicide products. While always high, agrochemical research costs have increased dramatically in recent years. The regulatory response to concerns about health and environmental problems has been to impose more rigorous testing requirements before registering pesticides for use.