The following review begins with a ranked list of the most important drivers, based on current trends and expert insights.
Sustainable agriculture mandates (EU Green Deal & national policies)The Spanish agronomy sector is an integral part of a broader European one. Therefore, the same rules and predispositions apply. Spain is aligning with the EU's Green Deal, which promotes reduced chemical pesticide use, and encourages sustainable farming practices. The use of biostimulants definitely coincides with this concept.
Crop stress mitigation (climate change resilience)Spanish agriculture has been exposed to increasing incidence of erroneous weather events, such as droughts, heatwaves, water flooding and soil degradation, which are pushing farmers to use biostimulants to enhance plant resilience and stress tolerance.
Improved crop yields & qualityBiostimulants help optimize nutrient uptake, root development, and overall plant vigour, leading to better yields and higher-quality produce, which is especially critical for Spain’s exports of fruits and vegetables to Northern Europe.
Shift toward integrated pest management (IPM)Spanish farmers are integrating biostimulants into IPM systems, to reduce reliance on synthetic chemicals, while maintaining crop health and competitiveness.
Regulatory advantages over biocontrol productsUnlike biocontrol agents, biostimulants face fewer regulatory hurdles, lower costs, and faster time-to-market, making them more attractive for widespread use.
Innovation in formulationsFrequent advances in microbial biostimulants, seaweed extracts, and protein hydrolysates are making products more effective and appealing to farmers.
Growing demand for organic produce Spain is a European leader in organic agriculture, with a diverse range of crops cultivated under fully organic regimes. See Table 1.
Table 1. Top three organic agriculture countries in Europe in2024. Ref. FIBL, 2024
Spain’s organic farming boom is not just about agriculture, it is a reflection of shifting values toward sustainability, health, and global market leadership. There are variable reasons for Spain’s organic farming success. They include Spain’s varied climate and terrain that support a wide range of crops, facilitating organic pest control and soil management. Around 80% of Spain’s organic production is exported, mainly to Germany, France, and the UK, where there are markets for organic products. Government and EU policies, including subsidies and the European Green Deal, encourage organic farming expansion. Growing environmental awareness and concern for sustainability and biodiversity have led local farmers and consumers to develop organic methods. Development of biofertilizers and crop varieties adapted to organic systems has improved productivity and viability.
Main organically grown crops in different Spanish regions are as follows:
Olives: Represent a significant portion of organic farmland, particularly in southern Spain.
Cereals: Wheat, barley, and oats are largely and commonly cultivated organically.
Vineyards: Organic wine vineyards are growing, in La Rioja and Catalonia.
Fruits and vegetables, mainly citrus, tomatoes, peppers, and leafy greens.
Nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts, especially in Andalusia and Catalonia.
According to AEFA (Spanish Association of Agro-Nutrients Manufacturers), biostimulants featured 20.7% of Spanish agro-nutrient market value in 2023, (AEFA, 2024). Additionally, a very large proportion of Spanish farmers are applying biofertilizers to increase crop yield while reducing chemical fertilizers usage. However, hardly any data is available regarding their application intensity and frequency. Ref.: DunhamTrimmer, 2025.
Figure 1. European biostimulants market segmentation by active ingredient in 2024. Ref.: DunhamTrimmer, 2025
The Spanish agricultural sector mainly uses biostimulants in high-stakes crops, like fruits and vegetables, where yield and quality directly impact economic returns, making these products vital in addressing Spain's agricultural growth challenges.
Fruits and vegetables dominate due to Spain’s strong export orientation and high-value horticulture. Cereals and grains are expanding as biostimulants prove effective in stress mitigation and nutrient efficiency. Turf and ornamentals are gaining traction in urban landscaping and golf-course management.
The adoption of biostimulants by Spanish farmers is increasing crop yields and quality, backed by recent studies showing that biostimulants can enhance yields by up to 15%, depending on the type of crop. For instance, foliar application of several amino acids, was beneficial for the growth of the aerial part, net assimilation of CO2, and water-use efficiency (WUE). It also increased the concentration of proline, fructose, and glucose in the fruits, Alfosea-Simón, et al. 2020.
Breakdown by application method (2024) Ref.: Data Bridge Market Research, 2024
Foliar treatment is the most widely used method, favoured for its rapid absorption and visible impact on plant health.
Soil treatment supports root development and microbial activity, especially in drought-prone regions.
Seed treatment is gaining interest for early-stage vigour and uniform germination.
Volumetric data (e.g., tons or litres) is not publicly available, but a year-by-year breakdown and volume metrics are accessible through market research reports, like the one published by DunhamTrimmer.
One can estimate the following breakdown, based on agricultural trends:
Andalusia and Castilla- La-Mancha host the largest consumers, due to their extensive cereal and olive cultivation.
Catalonia and Valencia's demand drivers are high-value horticulture and vineyards.
Murcia is notable for its innovation in sustainable farming practices.
Some important features of the Spanish biofertilizers marketplace Biofertilizers do not technically belong to the realm of biostimulants, although they are closely related and sometimes used together in sustainable agriculture.
Spain’s biofertilizer market has evolved significantly over the past decade, driven by EU sustainability goals, organic farming incentives, and technological innovation. Spain’s biofertilizer market has grown steadily, with increasing adoption in both conventional and organic farming. Spain’s biofertilizer consumption is estimated to have grown at a CAGR of 8-10% in volume over the past decade, but their exact tonnage data is scarce. They are used in both liquid and granular formulations, depending on crop and region. Spanish biofertilizers usage has expanded across the following crop types. Ref.: Mordor Intelligence, AEFA, Fertilizers Europe.
2015–2018: Focused on legumes, cereals, and olive groves
2019–2022: Expansion into horticulture, vineyards, and greenhouse crops
2023–2025: Increasing use in precision agriculture and soil regeneration
Most common active ingredients of Spanish biofertilizers
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Bacillus, Rhizobium).
Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria.
Mycorrhizae fungi.
Compost-based microbial blends.
Value-added fertilizers (VAFs). Ref.: DunhamTrimmer. 2024. VAFs are specialty fertilizers enriched with biostimulants, (and, sometimes with other active ingredients, e.g., biocontrol agents.
Spain's climate and historically challenging soils have fostered expertise in the development and commercialization of VAFs, with Spanish companies leading the advancements in efficient, tailored nutrient solutions for specialty crops worldwide.
Spain's VAF market stands out as one of the most dynamic and influential in the world, due to the extensive use of these advanced products, and because of the large number of Spanish based VAF formulation companies. Spanish firms play a pivotal role in the global VAF market, supplying both local growers, and international markets with innovative VAF products.
The Spanish VAF market was valued in 2024 at US$453.8 million, and is projected to grow to US$619.2 million by 2030
Specialty crops make up the vast majority (~78%) of VAFs use in Spain, in 2024. This share is expected to remain unchanged by 2030. Its key components are tree fruits and nuts (35%), vine and berry crops (29%), and vegetables and annual fruits (14%). Some typical examples of biostimulants added to the mineral fertilizers are: seaweeds extracts, amino acids, microbial products, humic and fulvic acids, mycorrhizal inoculants, microbial consortia, enzyme-based, and chitosan-based products.
Table 2. Spanish biostimulants market segmentation by active ingredient. Ref. AEFA. 2024
References
AEFA. (Asociación Española de Fabricantes de Agronutrientes) representing over 80% of Spain’s biostimulant producers. 2024. El mercado de bioestimulantes en España. Nov 21, 2024. https://aefa-agronutrientes.org/el-mercado-de-bioestimulantes-en-espana.
Alfosea-Simón, M., et al. 2020. Application of biostimulants containing amino acids to tomatoes could favor sustainable cultivation: implications for tyrosine, lysine, and methionine. Sustainability 2020, 12, 9729; doi:10.3390/su12229729.
Data Bridge Market Research. 2024. Spain Biostimulants Market to 2032. https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/nucleus/spain-biostimulants-market .
DunhamTrimmer. 2022. Global Biofertilizers Market Report.
DunhamTrimmer. 2024. Value-added fertilizers.
DunhamTrimmer. 2025. Personal communication.
FiBL & IFOAM and the European Commission’s latest dashboard. 2024. The World of Organic Agriculture.
Markets Research Future. Sep. 2025. Spain Biostimulants Market Research Report: by active ingredients, by mode of application, by form, and by crop type. Forecast to 2035. ID: MRFR/AGR/44802-HCR. https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/spain-biostimulants-market-46483
Mordor Intelligence. https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/europe-biostimulants-market. ●
