New study highlights increasing demand for growing media and assesses raw material availability up to 2050

08 / 06 / 2026

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The study indicates that global demand for growing media could increase by 250–290% in the coming decades, creating new challenges regarding raw material availability.

Researchers from Wageningen University and the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food have published a new study analyzing the development of the growing media market and the availability of raw materials up to 2050.

Key findings of the study:

• Global demand for growing media could increase by 250–290% by 2050. Particularly strong growth is projected in the ornamental and tree nursery sectors. The largest increases are expected in China (430–570%) and in emerging markets across Asia, South America, and Africa.

• While peat's percentage share of the market will decrease, demand will remain stable in absolute volumes. Currently, global peat extraction for horticultural use amounts to approximately 59 million cubic metres per year. It is projected that by 2050, peat use will remain within a similar range of 53–63 million cubic metres.

• The study projects that due to rapid overall market growth and the expanding use of alternative materials, peat's share of the overall growing media market could decrease from around 50% today to approximately 18–19% by 2050.

• Researchers warn that a sufficient supply of materials is not guaranteed. Under a low-availability scenario, there could be a shortfall of approximately 17 million cubic metres of growing media constituents globally by 2050. Identifying suitable new materials and scaling up the supply and processing infrastructure will remain a key challenge for the sector.

As the authors emphasize, this data should not be viewed as a fixed forecast, but rather as an important framework for future sector development planning, taking into account market trends, technological advances, and economic conditions. This information is vital for responsible peatland management, extraction planning, and future restoration (post-extraction land use and rewetting).

The research was commissioned by the International Peatland Society (IPS) to provide crucial insights into future trends in the horticulture and growing media sectors.

Full paper ( "The growth of growing media market by 2050: demand and availability of raw materials") is available here: Frontiers in Horticulture