E company, a leader in sustainable biopesticide and biocontrol technologies, announced that Mevalone has been granted approval by the French authorities for use on grapes to control downy and powdery mildew, subject to customary restrictions.
France is one of the world's largest and most affected markets for grape downy mildew, and this is driving steady demand for conventional fungicides, biopesticides, and resistant varieties across its more-than 780,000 hectares of vines. Climate‑driven increases in mildew pressure, regulatory pressure on copper and synthetic chemistry, and growth in organic viticulture are reshaping the structure and dynamics of this market.
Biopesticides are a fast‑growing segment of the French crop protection market: the French biopesticides sector is estimated at more than USD 200 million in 2025 and is projected to grow strongly to 2030, with grapes representing a key market segment because of heavy pressure from downy mildew, powdery mildew and botrytis and the challenging regulatory restrictions placed on pesticides in general.
Downy mildew has become one of the most damaging diseases in French vineyards with recent years (2023-2024) seeing severe outbreaks in Bordeaux and many other regions, cutting local harvests by up to a fifth or more.
While any estimate is subject to ever-evolving regulatory and commercial circumstances, the Company currently estimates that the potential peak revenue for this opportunity (with its current label extension conditions on the timing of applications) to be in the region of up to €8 million per annum. Given the timing of receipt of this label extension for two new diseases and the industry's schedule for marketing and stocking products for the growing season, the Company is not changing its market guidance at this stage but will monitor this as the season develops.
Sean Smith, CEO of E company, commented:
"With France recently having tightened rules on copper fungicides, revoking approval for many formulations and leaving only a small number of authorised copper products under stricter conditions, the approval of this label extension for Mevalone is timely, creating a significant opportunity for E company in the coming years.
In addition, organic vineyard area has continued to increase with approximately one-fifth of French vineyard land now farmed organically, exceeding the national agricultural average and reinforcing demand for alternative solutions such as Mevalone, which is already certified as organic."
