France is the third-largest biopesticide market in Europe, which held around 20.5% share of the total European biopesticide market in 2019. The country has historically been one of the most dominant agricultural centers in Europe. Despite decades of research on biological control and a significant number of biopesticides shown to be efficient in laboratory conditions, few products are currently registered for use in France.

France introduced a scheme “Ecophyto 2018”, which aims at reducing 50% of synthetic pesticide consumption, over the period 2008-2018. The presence of synthetic pesticides in agrochemicals is a major concern for the environment and human and animal health, which could play a key role in driving the growth of biopesticides. The French R&D network, including INRA, covers various aspects of biopesticide research, such as developing new products, understanding the determinants of their effectiveness, obtaining information on their mode of action, and carefully managing their use once they become commercially available.

France is the largest consumer of fungicides, within Europe, with ideal wet conditions for the spread of fungicides, especially Septoria tritici blotch (STB). The major factors affecting the pattern of consumption are changes in crop acreage, pest resistance, pesticide regulation, and adoption of technology. Increased adoption and high efficiency of fungicides have fueled industry growth.

In the recent years, the popularity of bio-fungicides has increased among farmers, producers, and end consumers. Factors such as rising demand for food safety and security, and government support, are driving the growth of this industry. The development of bio-pesticides or eco-friendly crop protection products has become a priority for research and funding agencies around the world. Growing profits in organic farming influence farmers to look for synthetic chemical alternatives to control plant health.