Micro irrigation systems, such as sprinkler irrigation, are increasingly implemented worldwide in an attempt to tackle water scarcity. Although these systems use minimal amounts of...
CPI is a method of crop irrigation during which the equipment is made to rotate around a fixed pivot and the crops are watered by the sprinklers, as per Market Data Forecast. CPI consumes less water than other irrigation techniques and is less labor intensive as well. Thus, the CPI systems market is growing significantly in most regions of the world. MarketsandMarkets estimates that CPI systems will account for the largest market share in the sprinkler irrigation systems market in 2017, due to its usage on a wide variety of field sizes, crop types, and topographic features. Though CPI systems involve high initial investment, the returns obtained are comparatively more in terms of long-term usage, efficient water management, higher yield crops, and low labor force. However, according to Market Data Forecast, CPI systems are facing challenges mainly due to lower demands from economies which are labor intensive for the most part, in addition to the lack of subsidies, thus requiring high initial investments. Further, the systems require continuous maintenance and currency exchange rates are highly unfavorable, a matter which creates more restraints on the growth of the CPI systems. In 2017, the North American region accounts for a significant share in the global sprinkler irrigation systems market. Factors influencing the market share of North America include high corn production in the U.S. and Canada, large field sizes, and high farm income of producers. Development of user-friendly and hi-tech systems such as GPS-enabled pivots and sensor-based pivots is one of the latest trends in the irrigation industries of countries such as the U.S., Canada, Egypt and South Africa. The CPI systems market in the Middle East and Africa was worth USD73 million in 2016 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 15 percent, to reach USD149 million by 2021, according to Market Data Forecast. The market has exhibited a huge potential due to the abundance of unirrigated lands being converted to mechanized irrigation, shrinking arable land and higher production outcomes compared to rain fed crops.
Systems there are classified under field types such as large, medium and small fields. The market is segmented by crop type under cereals & grains, oilseeds & pulses and others. The cereal crops segment accounted for the highest revenue followed by the oilseeds and pulses segments. Intensive growth in cereal crop demands and use of cereal in animal feed and biofuels drive the application of CPI systems in cereal crops. When taking field type into consideration, large field segments accounted for the biggest market share in 2016. CPI systems are widely employed in large fields, on account of high returns of investment and reduced cost per acre. On the basis of mobility, the stationary center pivot irrigation system has a larger share than mobile center pivot systems. A mobile system is installed only where more than one section of land is to be irrigated with a single center pivot system, thus requiring the shifting of the system from one field to another.