Smart Irrigation Controllers: Introduction
- Agriculture is a leading sector that impacts the economic development of a country. Low agricultural production and inefficient irrigation systems have to be remedied to enhance the productivity of crops, and thereby strengthen the economic development of a country. This is driving the utilization of mechanized irrigation systems globally.
- Smart irrigation is an advanced way of water management in the irrigation process. Traditional irrigation systems, such as surface irrigation, are highly preferred due to their low investment costs. However, in traditional irrigation systems, crop quality and productivity is low compared to mechanized irrigation systems. Transition from traditional irrigation systems to smart irrigation is gaining momentum. Traditional irrigation controllers can be programmed as per irrigation schedule; however, smart irrigation controllers monitor weather condition, soil structure, evaporation status, water intake, and water usage and requirement.
- Smart irrigation controller consists of sensors that have the capability to adjust the sprinkler time based on requirement and weather condition. Thus, smart irrigation controllers help provide efficient flow of irrigation water, thereby minimizing the issue of water scarcity.
Key Drivers and Restraints of Global Smart Irrigation Controllers Market
- Rapid population growth, food and water scarcity, increase in awareness among farmers about the benefits of smart irrigation, government promotion and investments, low cost of irrigation, and high productivity are the primary drivers of the smart irrigation controllers market. Large gardens and lawns require irrigation of plants and grass periodically. Savings on labor costs have resulted in higher demand for smart irrigation controllers.
- High costs associated with smart irrigation controllers vis-à-vis traditional irrigation systems is a factor that is expected to hamper the smart irrigation controllers market
Global Smart Irrigation Controllers Market: Segmentation
- Based on type, the market can be segregated into weather-based controllers and soil moisture-based controllers. The weather-based controllers segment can be further segregated into signal-based controllers, historic ET controllers, and on-site weather measurement controllers. Signal-based controllers use meteorological data from available source and the ET value is calculated for a grass surface at the site. Extracted ET data is then transferred to the controller by a wireless connection. ET controllers are programmable as per various geographic and soil type. The curve can be adjusted for temperature and solar radiation. On-site weather measurement controllers use weather data collected on-site to calculate continuous ET measurements and water. The soil moisture-based controllers segment can be further divided into suspended cycle irrigation systems and water-on-demand irrigation. Suspended cycle irrigation systems are integrated with traditional timer controllers, which provide complete monitoring of watering schedules, start times, and duration. Water-on-demand irrigation requires no programming of irrigation duration. It monitors upper and lower threshold limits, which initiate the irrigation when the soil moisture level fails to meet those levels.
Global Smart Irrigation Controllers Market: Regional Segmentation
- Based on region, the global smart irrigation controllers market can be classified into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa
- North America offers immense growth potential for the global smart irrigation controllers market. People in developed countries such as the U.S. and Canada are aware about the benefits of these systems and are investing significantly to enhance crop productivity and minimize water loss. This has augmented the market for smart irrigation controllers in these countries.
- The European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is promoting investments in agriculture and rural development in Europe. The prime focus of CAP is to conserve water by improving irrigation infrastructure and encourage farmers to utilize improved irrigation technology. This would lead to a switch from traditional irrigation systems to mechanized irrigation systems in the next few years. About 45% of total abstracted water in Europe is used for irrigation. High depletion of water reservoirs has resulted in utilization of efficient irrigation systems. This is estimated to drive the demand for smart irrigation controllers in the region during the forecast period.
COVID-19 Impact on Smart Irrigation Controllers Market
- The COVID-19 has adversely affected all the major industries across the globe. Agriculture is considered essential service; however, demand for smart irrigation controllers has been hampered marginally, as the raw material supply chain has been disrupted by lockdowns and limitations on human movement. Relaxation of lockdowns is estimated to boost the demand for smart irrigation controllers. Therefore, the COVID-19 pandemic has marginally affected the global smart irrigation controllers market.
Key Players Operating in Global Smart Irrigation Controllers Market
- HUNTER INDUSTRIES
- Rain Bird Corporation
- The Toro Company
- Valmont Industries.
- Calsense
- Galcon
- Nelson Irrigation Corporation.
- Weathermatic
Global Smart Irrigation Controllers Market: Research Scope
Global Smart Irrigation Controllers Market, by Type
- Weather-based Controllers
- Signal-based Controllers
- Historic ET Controllers
- On-site Weather Measurement Controllers
- Soil Moisture-based Controllers
- Suspended Cycle Irrigation Systems
- Water-on-demand Irrigations
The Global Smart Irrigation Controllers Market, by Region
- North America
- Europe
- Germany
- France
- U.K.
- Italy
- Spain
- Russia & CIS
- Rest of Europe
- Asia Pacific
- China
- Japan
- India
- ASEAN
- Rest of Asia Pacific
- Latin America
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Rest of Latin America
- Middle East & Africa
- GCC
- South Africa
- Rest of Middle East & Africa
