The global soil moisture sensor market size was valued at USD 293.0 million in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.2% from 2023 to 2030. Increasing the adoption of these sensors by the agricultural sector to enhance the farm’s productivity and reduce water consumption is expected to drive market growth over the forecast period. Moreover, this product also helps in avoiding irrigation issues through constant monitoring, which in turn is spurring the growth of the market. The introduction of new technologies that aid residential owners in monitoring the soil moisture condition of potted plants, vegetable gardens, and lawns is also expected to drive the market.
The demand for low-cost sensors such as tensiometers and granular matrices, especially in the residential sector for maintaining lawns, is driving the growth of the market. These products play a crucial role in maintaining the lush green lawn, which, in turn, is driving their adoption in the residential segment. The devices accounted for more than 45% of the revenue share in the year 2018. The use of soil moisture sensors by weather forecasters to offer accurate weather readings and forecasts is another prominent factor driving the market. The segment is estimated to register considerable growth during the forecast period.
The increasing demand for soil moisture sensors in the building and construction sector is also estimated to drive market growth in the coming years. This product is extensively preferred before initiating the construction project for wetland detection. The imminent need for the measurement of water content at construction sites is driving the market growth. On the flip side, the need for more awareness among farmers regarding the benefits offered by the sensors, lack of availability of skilled labor, and preference for traditional farming practices, especially in emerging economies, is hampering the overall growth of the market.
North America held the largest market share in 2018 owing to the relatively greater adoption of mechanized farm practices and a multitude of research and development in the field of wireless sensor technology. Additionally, the farmers in the region have relatively greater awareness regarding the benefits associated with the use of soil moisture sensors. Also, the farmers have been receiving ample support to adopt mechanized farming practices from organizations like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The Nature Conservancy, and the National Research Council.
Soil moisture sensors enable farmers to make accurate decisions while planning for various agricultural activities. Low-cost sensors such as gypsum blocks, tensiometers, and probes are widely adopted across applications such as agriculture, residential, research studies, forestry, landscaping, and ground care. The simple, flexible, and inexpensive nature of a tensiometer facilitates direct measurement of soil water tension. It measures soil water tension in wet as well as moist soil. The tension is measured between soil particles and water molecules. The adoption of a tensiometer for the measurement of moisture has increased due to the sensor's easy measurement and accuracy for an exact measurement of tension in soil.
Several technologies are involved in the digitalization of a farm. However, the most important among them are sensors used to measure metrics such as rainfall, water levels, soil moisture, and livestock data on the ground and remotely using a drone. Soil moisture sensors are used to measure the volumetric water content in the soil. They measure the water content using soil properties such as dielectric constant, electrical resistance, and interaction with neutrons as a proxy for the moisture content. These sensors are used in various applications such as construction, mining, sports, weather forecasting, agriculture, and research studies.
The availability of skilled laborers to use soil moisture sensors is low and poses one of the significant barriers across various applications. The use of soil moisture sensors in small and medium-sized farms can be a complicated task owing to the traditional farming practices adopted by farmers. Unskilled laborers in farms and construction sites are likely to face specific issues regarding the physical installation of soil moisture sensors. The improper installation of soil moisture sensors leads to an incorrect reading of the water content in the soil, subsequently incurring losses. The air gaps beside the sensor are expected to contribute to the low dielectric of air for measurement, resulting in underestimating volumetric water content. Moreover, the accuracy and positioning of soil moisture sensors affect the performance of soil moisture-based surface drip irrigation scheduling systems.
The tensiometers segment dominated the market in 2022 with a 36.2% market share. These sensors are easy to use, provide accurate measurements, and require little maintenance. Tensiometers are used to measure tension between soil particles and water molecules. Tensiometers can be easily integrated into an irrigation system, need relatively minimal maintenance, and are used when the water requirement for a specific crop is high.
The time-domain transmissometer (TDT) sensors segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 17.2% during the forecast period since they offer more accurate and instant data to farmers and require limited calibration during the time of installation. These sensors are durable, consume less power, and efficiently limit the effect of noise to achieve higher accuracy and average measurement across the entire length of the probes. The benefits mentioned above have increased its adoption among end-users over the last few years.
The wired sensors segment dominated the market with a 63.3% share in 2022. The problems associated with this product include maintenance costs, labor costs, and inflexibility concerning remote accessibility. They are considered ideal for experiments in courses like horticulture, agricultural science, botany, biology, and environmental science.
The wireless soil moisture sensor segment is projected to exhibit the fastest CAGR of 14.7% over the forecast period. They are increasingly used to measure volumetric water content in the soil remotely. French company Kerlink entered into a partnership with Sensoterra (Netherlands) to allow the farmers to make data-controlled land-management decisions and consequently reduce their water consumption by 30 percent. Using Kerlink’s Low Power Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN)-based IoT platform, Sensoterra is expected to launch new wireless soil moisture sensors across North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The accurate measurement of moisture conditions helps farmers to increase yield, maintain soil health, and enhance water conservation. Therefore, this product is expected to drive the market over the forecast period.
The agriculture segment dominated the market in 2022 with a share of 59.9% while also estimated to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. Increasing use of sensors in agricultural lands has enabled farmers to reduce water consumption and increase overall food production. These benefits are expected to drive the segment in the coming years. Moreover, increasing the focus of governments across various nations towards water conservation to improve the quality of crops is driving the market.
The sports segment is projected to exhibit a significant CAGR during the forecast period. In a bid to ensure and maintain a lush outfield, market growth has surged in the sports segment. For instance, the sensors are increasingly used for the maintenance of golf turfs. Factors such as investments made by the governments for the betterment of the sports grounds and the need for controlled grass growth on sports outfields are mainly responsible for segment growth.
North America held the largest market share of 29.7% in 2022. The dominance can be credited mainly to the greater adoption of sensors across the agriculture and sports segments. The U.S. is house to a large number of soil moisture sensor manufacturers such as Campbell Scientific, Inc. and The Toro Company. Stringent environmental regulations and the rising adoption of precision farming and yield monitoring practices by large and small farm owners to upsurge the productivity of fields are expected to drive the market.
Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing region, with a CAGR of 15.7% over the forecast period, owing to the increasing awareness regarding the usage of soil moisture sensors among farmers. Besides, the availability of huge arable land in countries such as China and India is expected to increase the utilization of soil moisture sensors. Furthermore, the rising concern about soil health in the region is positively impacting the growth of the market. Countries such as Japan, India, Australia, and China are expected to generate considerable revenue owing to the favorable government policies and rising disposable income of farmers.
Moreover, consistent efforts of the European government to promote sustainable economic growth and significant investments in promoting the development of the agriculture industry are contributing to the growth of the regional market. Similarly, the increasing emphasis and inclination towards sports activities have led to the development of sports infrastructure across the country.
Major soil moisture sensor market players are focusing on strengthening their product portfolio in a bid to sustain their leading market position. For instance, in August 2022, CropX Technologies launched a new capability for its farm management system. The new nitrogen leaching monitoring continuously tracks the movement of nitrogen and salts in the soil. It is a first-of-its-kind feature that uses soil sensors to measure the amount of nitrogen and salts in the soil.
In January 2023, CropX Technologies acquired the U.S.-based Tule Technologies. This acquisition gives CropX access to new data capture technologies, which boosts AI predictions and expands its market in California. Also, with this acquisition, the company has expanded its presence and strengthened its business reach.
In April 2022, Sensoterra launched a new generation of Single Depth sensors with a new antenna design. The newly launched sensor has improved the LoRaWAN signal strength by 2 to 4 factors and offers better durability along with increased accuracy.
In March 2022, Toro Company partnered with Sentosa Golf Club with a 10-year agreement that includes Toro golf course maintenance products and irrigation products, landscaping tools, training, and service. With this partnership, Toro Company aims to partner with respected and major Asia clubs and help them achieve their carbon neutrality goals.
In October 2021, Sentek launched Sentek Drill & Drop Connect (iOS) and Sentek Connect (Android) applications. Capable of functioning with the company's Drill & Drop Bluetooth Probes, these applications help users configure, test, and retrieve probe sensor data.
In March 2021, Monnit Corporation launched the ALTA soil moisture sensor, a wireless soil moisture sensor that provides smartphone connectivity. It measures the water tension using its hydrophilic-fabric enveloped matrix material.
Report Attribute |
Details |
Market size value in 2023 |
USD 334.49 million |
Revenue forecast in 2030 |
USD 798.7 million |
Growth Rate |
CAGR of 13.2% from 2023 to 2030 |
Base year for estimation |
2022 |
Historical data |
2017 - 2021 |
Forecast period |
2023 - 2030 |
Report updated |
December 2023 |
Quantitative units |
Revenue in USD million/billion and CAGR from 2023 to 2030 |
Report coverage |
Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends |
Segments covered |
Sensor, connectivity, application, region |
Regional scope |
North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; MEA |
Country scope |
U.S.; Canada; UK; Germany; France; China; Japan; India; Australia; South Korea; Brazil; Mexico; Saudi Arabia; South Africa; UAE |
Key companies profiled |
Toro Company; Campbell Scientific Inc.; Spiio; Sentek; METER Group, Inc. USA; Irrometer Company, Inc.; Acclima Inc.; IMKO Micromodultechnik GmbH; Spectrum Technologies, Inc.; E.S.I. Environmental Sensors Inc. |
Customization scope |
Free report customization (equivalent up to 8 analyst’s working days) with purchase. Addition or alteration to country, regional & segment scope |
Pricing and purchase options |
Avail customized purchase options to meet your exact research needs. Explore purchase options |
This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the soil moisture sensormarket based on sensor, connectivity, application, and region:
Sensor Outlook (Revenue in USD Million, 2017 - 2030)
Capacitance
Probes
Time Domain Transmissometry (TDT) Sensors
Gypsum Blocks
Tensiometers
Granular Matrix Sensors
Connectivity Outlook (Revenue in USD Million, 2017 - 2030)
Wired
Wireless
Application Outlook (Revenue in USD Million, 2017 - 2030)
Agriculture
Construction and Mining
Residential
Forestry
Landscaping and Ground Care
Research Studies
Sports
Weather Forecasting
Regional Outlook (Revenue in USD Million, 2017 - 2030)
North America
U.S.
Canada
Europe
UK
Germany
France
Asia Pacific
China
Japan
India
Australia
South Korea
Latin America
Brazil
Mexico
Middle East and Africa
Saudi Arabia
South Africa
UAE
b. The global soil moisture sensor market size was estimated at USD 293.0 million in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 334.49 million in 2023.
b. The global soil moisture sensor market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 13.2% from 2023 to 2030 to reach USD 798.7 million by 2030.
b. North America dominated the soil moisture sensor market with a share of 29.7% in 2022. This is attributable to the greater adoption of these sensors across the agriculture and sports segments in the region.
b. Some key players operating in the soil moisture sensor market include he Toro Company (U.S.), Campbell Scientific Inc. (U.S.), Spiio (U.S.), Sentek (Australia), METER Group, Inc. USA (U.S.); Irrometer Company, Inc. (U.S.); Acclima Inc. (U.S.); IMKO Micromodultechnik GmbH.
b. Key factors that are driving the market growth include increasing adoption of soil moisture sensors among farmers to enhance the farm’s productivity and reduce water consumption.
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