India's agrochemical sector is poised for muted Q1 FY27 earnings with 3% revenue growth and a 3% EBITDA decline, per an Anand Rathi report. Delayed monsoons hurt domestic sales, but exporters are expected to perform better on global demand.
Muted Q1 FY27 Earnings Expected for Agrochemical Sector
India's agrochemical sector is likely to report muted earnings in the first quarter of FY27, with exporters expected to outperform companies focused only on the domestic market, according to a report by Anand Rathi.
The report said agrochemical companies are expected to post subdued revenue growth of 3 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of FY27, while EBITDA is likely to decline 3 per cent year-on-year.
Domestic Market Challenges
It attributed the weak performance to delayed monsoon rains, which postponed sowing activities and pushed sales into the second quarter of FY27. The report also said price hikes implemented between March and May 2026 to offset higher raw material costs due to tensions in the Middle East were rolled back amid weak demand. In addition, an early shift in cropping patterns towards cotton, soybean and pulses also weighed on performance, based on the brokerage's channel checks.
Potential Demand Drivers
According to the report, lower carryover inventories are expected to create room for fresh channel stocking, while favourable minimum support prices (MSPs) and healthy farm economics are likely to support demand for agricultural inputs. "We believe lower carried-over inventories provide room for fresh channel stocking, while favourable MSPs and healthy farm economics should support input demand," the report said.
It added that rainfall distribution during July and August will be crucial for crop development and for clearing channel inventories.
Exporters Poised for Growth
The brokerage said exporters are likely to benefit from improving demand in Europe, North America and Latin America, along with calibrated price hikes to offset higher raw material and logistics costs.
It also noted that a favourable currency environment, with the US dollar strengthening 12 per cent against the rupee and the euro rising 14 per cent against the rupee year-on-year, is expected to support exporters' earnings growth.
Broader Sectoral Performance
The report further said several sectors are likely to post robust growth in the first quarter of FY27 despite uncertainty arising from the West Asia crisis. However, it added that some sectors are expected to face pressure on gross margins due to higher input costs. (ANI)
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