As year’s end approaches, the irrigation market is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by key global and domestic trends.
The industry is shifting in response to the urgent need for water conservation and sustainable practices. This movement is a key part of the broader adoption of precision agriculture and smart irrigation, which aim to optimize resource use, boost crop yields and promote healthier plants. Government support and subsidies worldwide are also accelerating the development of advanced irrigation technology. And this is happening as leaders recognize that investing in sustainable agriculture is crucial for ensuring future food security and protecting environmental resources. Furthermore, industry experts highlight AI as a powerful, yet still untapped, tool in irrigation’s evolution.
For irrigation professionals, it’s critical to understand these trends. Success will not be found in abstract market data, but rather in adapting to the evolving challenges, opportunities and technological shifts that define the irrigation industry’s future.
Driven by climate change, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events and heightened regulatory pressures, water scarcity is a primary issue influencing decisions globally in agricultural irrigation markets.
As regulatory oversight intensifies, more restrictions are expected, says Aubrey Garza, chief operating officer at Irrigation Resources Inc., which designs and installs custom ag irrigation systems. In drought-prone areas like California, her company’s home state, Garza says this is a particularly pressing issue. To manage these pressures, the adoption of new technology is necessary.
“This will certainly have an impact on planning,” she says. “It’s going to have an effect on the technology that needs to be adopted in order to maximize the efficiency of the water that’s [being allocated].”
A fundamental change in mindset supports this technological shift, says Gustavo Oberto, president of global irrigation at Lindsay Corp., a global manufacturer and distributor of irrigation and infrastructure equipment and technology. He believes the new generation of farmers is shifting from “my farm, my water” to “our water, our future.”
“We’re starting to see new generations of farmers coming online who are more in tune with climate change, water stewardship and with being a good global citizen,” Oberto says. “We’re seeing a shift in mindset where [growers] only use what [water] they need to hit their [crop] targets and not any more. So, that’s really, really encouraging.”
Tariffs and global trade disruptions are expected to have a broad impact on the irrigation industry in the coming year, affecting the cost and availability of equipment. Based on the most recent information available, most irrigation insiders are preparing for U.S. tariffs to have a significant and multifaceted impact on the global irrigation market in 2026. And this impact will be felt across the entire supply chain, affecting manufacturers, distributors, agricultural producers and end users.
The imposition of U.S. tariffs presents a significant challenge for the irrigation industry, says Brian Tweed, sales and marketing manager at Irritec USA, based in Fresno, California. While all tariffs create difficulties, he notes that tariffs on steel and aluminum are especially problematic for the irrigation industry. As an example, Tweed cites a small irrigation component that is 95% plastic but contains a single steel screw.
“Somebody at our company has to analyze that component, find out the weight, find out where it was manufactured and what steel was used in the manufacture of this screw,” he says. “So, we’ve got people spending tons of hours trying to figure out how to pay our tariffs responsibly.”
Beyond tariffs, rising input costs are another factor impacting irrigation. And it’s not exclusive to PVC and other irrigation components, which can experience cost fluctuations. As the industry shifts toward precision agriculture and digital farming, the costs for sensors, controllers and other intricate parts are expected to increase with demand. Garza adds that it’s not always easy to pinpoint what those costs might look like.
“Price fluctuations relating to tariff uncertainties are difficult to predict and plan for,” Garza says. “One day we’re expecting a price increase of X amount or X percentage, and then the next day, maybe not. It’s really all over the place. This can make it difficult to plan when we don’t have a definite answer on the actual costs.”
North American trade policy uncertainty is stirring pricing volatility and supply disruptions, making midterm planning difficult for growers and suppliers, Oberto says, adding, “When margins tighten, growers invest in what works. ROI isn’t a buzzword. It’s a survival strategy.”
Another economic challenge is the role of government support for irrigation initiatives worldwide. Subsidies are crucial for accelerating the adoption of new irrigation technologies, says Oberto.
“When you see some countries potentially pull back on those subsidies because they may have other priorities — defense-related, budget-related, whatever may be the case — those can have a pretty substantial impact, in the short term and midterm, on how fast that technology can be adopted and implemented,” he says.
While challenges such as tariffs and economic volatility can cause hesitation, Katie Powell, president of Munro Co., which manufactures pumps and related equipment, believes the irrigation industry is resilient. She believes that periods of economic slowdown can be beneficial, as they provide crucial opportunities to discover innovative solutions that might have been overlooked during busier times.
“When there are challenges out there, especially in our business environment,” she says, “how can we [as an industry] use those challenges to continue to move things forward in the direction that we know the industry should be and is moving?”
Precision agriculture is no longer a luxury but a fundamental expectation in the irrigation industry. While other agricultural sectors have embraced these advancements, many irrigation insiders agree their industry has been slower to adopt them. However, climate volatility, labor shortages, tightening margins and the critical need for food security have fast-tracked the adoption of new irrigation technology to meet water conservation goals.
According to Mike Hemman, president of Netafim North America, which specializes in precision irrigation solutions, there is a growing demand for integrated data analytics. He notes that growers want a single platform to view all their farm data, from in-field sensors and from external sources such as weather forecasts and energy costs, to make more informed, efficient and effective irrigation decisions.
Hemman also explains that precision irrigation can address labor issues. For example, a farmer with a nonautomated irrigation system must dedicate significant time and labor to manually operate valves for each irrigation cycle.
“Labor is a diminishing resource, especially in recent years, and the cost is expensive,” he says. “So if we can automate some of those [irrigation functions], it helps make the farmer’s operation better.”
Industry insiders point to the aggressive global expansion of agricultural lands as another source for accelerated irrigation adoption. Oberto likens Brazil’s current irrigation market to that of Nebraska and Texas in the 1970s and ’80s, where mechanized irrigation — such as center pivots — experienced a period of explosive growth.
Additionally, significant investments in irrigation are underway in the Middle East and North Africa as countries transform arid desert into fertile fields. In Eastern Europe, Oberto points to the active upgrading of outdated Soviet-era irrigation systems. By revitalizing these systems, he says, countries are improving water distribution efficiency and bringing previously unproductive land back into use.
“What you’re seeing in Brazil, the Middle East and Eastern Europe are irrigation initiatives fundamentally driven by the critical need for food security and national food independence,” he says.
“Irrigation and irrigation technology are not just the difference makers. They become the difference,” Oberto adds. “What we’re seeing in a lot of markets that don’t have water is simply the difference between having a crop or not having a crop. With [a farmer] having an income or not having an income. So, [irrigation and irrigation tech are] huge.”
Extreme weather events are significantly affecting irrigation trends. According to Tyler Fields, senior global director of water solutions at Valley Irrigation, a worldwide manufacturer of precision technology and irrigation equipment, one needs to look no further than the recent storms in the Midwest and hurricanes in the Southeast to witness the widespread damage to pivots and other crucial irrigation equipment.
“For instance, in Georgia, they’ve been hurricane-riddled over the last eight years,” Fields says. “The wind tears up [infrastructure] and tears up crops. The next thing you know, everybody’s scrambling to try to get back up and running because there’s a crop in the ground. You’ve got to manage around that.”
The combination of extreme rain, wind, heat and drought creates considerable challenges for the ag industry, Fields adds. This necessitates adaptability and a continued proactive approach to irrigation management.
Oberto says climate volatility is no longer an anomaly but the new normal. Thankfully, technology is progressing rapidly to assist in taming this unpredictability.
“When weather forecasters make better predictions, ultimately, we can make better decisions about [irrigation and water use],” he says. “While technology can’t prevent catastrophic events like tornadoes or flash floods, it is highly effective at managing the more typical weather variations that occur most of the time. This will allow farmers to make informed decisions by balancing their crop’s requirements with their available water resources and expected rainfall.”
AI is serving as a powerful accelerator in the irrigation industry, with experts agreeing its influence goes beyond merely automating tasks and saving time. Instead, AI can sharpen the decision-making process, turning good decisions about water use into great ones.
According to Oberto, AI is a transformative business tool that enhances efficiency and saves resources. He anticipates AI will continue to be woven into irrigation products to optimize decision-making. For example, Oberto foresees AI-driven platforms that leverage satellite imagery and sophisticated algorithms to forecast yields, predict disease risk and pinpoint precise irrigation needs.
“AI has this incredible power to help a grower understand what the data means for them,” he says. “And in this specific case of irrigation, understand what kind of irrigation-based decisions they need to make, not just on averages, but on the actual field conditions, on the actual weather that they’re experiencing, on the actual crops that are growing. AI will provide an incredible opportunity to save water, save resources, save the guesswork and allow farmers to spend less time trying to figure out what they need to know.”
Tweed agrees, adding that AI has the capacity to analyze vast amounts of irrigation data. When combined with weather trends and forecasting data, AI can help farmers determine the precise timing and amount of water crops need, leading to more efficient and effective water management.
These trends will inevitably trickle down to the landscape irrigation sector, especially for larger-scale applications like parks and commercial properties, Powell says. She anticipates that AI will eventually become commonplace for homeowners as well, transforming how all types of irrigation systems are managed.
Hemman agrees, adding that in these more controlled environments, “the challenges are fewer,” making them ideal for adopting proven agricultural [irrigation] technology.
Beyond water-related issues, irrigation leaders point to other positive trends shaping the industry. Tweed notes the irrigation industry’s growing focus on recycling, pointing out that Europe has long held a more pragmatic view, understanding that the recycling process, though costly, is the right thing to do.
Tweed explains that more manufacturers now possess the technology to incorporate recycled content into some products, such as thick-walled drip lines and blank distribution tubing. Although it’s still challenging to use recycled materials in products such as drip tape due to its design, the industry is moving toward a more sustainable model.
Consumer demand is driving this shift, and Tweed says more farmers and dealers, including those in the United States, are demanding recycling programs. This is a fantastic development that has manufacturers scrambling to keep up. In California, for example, nearly all drip tape is now recycled, but the necessary infrastructure and programs are still being built out in other parts of the country. This growing demand from the agricultural community is a powerful force pushing the industry toward a more sustainable future.
Tweed also sees momentum growing away from PVC and toward high-density polyethylene (HDPE) in irrigation. He points to Europe, where PVC has been declining for years, primarily because the material is difficult to recycle.
“We’re beginning to see HDPE being used in the United States for main lines, but not for sub-mains or lateral lines,” Tweed says. “But I see that as an absolutely positive occurrence for the U.S. market. And over the long term, I believe the U.S. will migrate toward HDPE. There are a lot of benefits. It’s recyclable, it’s very durable and it’s a safe product.”
These trends and challenges are also a catalyst for a greater industry professionalization, a movement Powell sees championed by organizations such as the Irrigation Association through training, certification and advocacy, she says. A more professionalized workforce, she argues, is better equipped to understand the importance of smart irrigation technologies, products and practices.
“This deeper knowledge and understanding allows professionals to effectively communicate the long-term value of these solutions to customers, even when there are higher initial costs,” Powell says. “Additionally, trained professionals are better at teaching clients how to use their equipment efficiently. I see this as very exciting [for the irrigation industry].”
8280 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive | Suite 630 | Fairfax, VA 22031
Tel: 703.536.7080 | Fax: 703.536.7019
HOME | ABOUT US | ADVERTISE | SUBSCRIBE | CONTACT | PRIVACY POLICY | IA ANTITRUST STATEMENT
