Alfalfa Market Report 2026

Alfalfa Market Overview

• Alfalfa market size has reached to $30.79 billion in 2025 • Expected to grow to $43.77 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5% • Growth Driver: Rising Demand For Animal Feed To Drive Market Growth • Market Trend: Leaf-Derived Alfalfa Protein Advances Sustainability And Nutrition In Pet Food • North America was the largest region in 2025 and Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing region.

What Is Covered Under Alfalfa Market?

Alfalfa refers to Medicago sativa, a legume plant with bluish-purple blooms that originated in Western Asia and is commonly farmed as a pasture crop. Alfalfa is most typically cultivated for cattle feed. It's commonly eaten as a garnish by humans and appears to inhibit cholesterol absorption in the stomach. The main products of alfalfa are pellets, hay, cubes, and other types. Pellets refer to a tiny, rounded, or spherical body, as in food or medication. They are used to deliver dust- and mold-free animal feed solutions. The alfalfa products are suitable for cattle, horses, and other animal types and their application includes animal feed, forage, and biofuel.

What Is The Alfalfa Market Growth Forecast?

The alfalfa market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $43.77 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing focus on sustainable livestock nutrition, rising demand for premium animal feed ingredients, expansion of export markets for forage crops, growing adoption of processed alfalfa formats, increasing integration of feed supply chains. Major trends in the forecast period include growing demand for high-protein animal feed, expansion of compressed alfalfa products, rising adoption of alfalfa in dairy nutrition, increased focus on feed quality and digestibility, growth of export-oriented alfalfa production.

Global Alfalfa Market Segmentation

1) By Product Type: Pellets, Hay, Cubes, Other Product Type 2) By Animal Type: Cattle, Horses, Other Animal Type 3) By Application: Animal Feed, Forage Subsegments: 1) By Pellets: Compressed Pellets, Expander Pellets 2) By Hay: Loose Hay, Baled Hay 3) By Cubes: Compressed Cubes, Expander Cubes 4) By Other Product Type: Alfalfa Meal, Alfalfa Granules, Alfalfa Chaff

What Is The Driver Of The Alfalfa Market?

An increase in demand for animal feed is expected to propel the growth of the alfalfa market going forward. Animal feed refers to consumable material eaten by an animal that provides energy, nutrition, or both to the animal's diet. Alfalfa hay can be fed to cattle and horses as a protein source. It is a high-protein diet for beef cattle fed low-quality grass hay or munching corn stalks. The rise in demand for animal feed eventually improved the growth of the alfalfa market. For instance, in March 2024, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, a UK-based statutory levy board, in 2022-2023, poultry feed production totaled 3,434.1 Mt, while in 2023-2024, it increased to 3,567.5 Mt, reflecting a rise of 3.9%. Therefore, an increase in demand for animal feed is driving the growth of the alfalfa industry going forward.

What Is The Driver Of The Alfalfa Market?

An increase in demand for animal feed is expected to propel the growth of the alfalfa market going forward. Animal feed refers to consumable material eaten by an animal that provides energy, nutrition, or both to the animal's diet. Alfalfa hay can be fed to cattle and horses as a protein source. It is a high-protein diet for beef cattle fed low-quality grass hay or munching corn stalks. The rise in demand for animal feed eventually improved the growth of the alfalfa market. For instance, in March 2024, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, a UK-based statutory levy board, in 2022-2023, poultry feed production totaled 3,434.1 Mt, while in 2023-2024, it increased to 3,567.5 Mt, reflecting a rise of 3.9%. Therefore, an increase in demand for animal feed is driving the growth of the alfalfa industry going forward.

Global Alfalfa Market Trends and Insights

Major companies operating in the alfalfa market are focusing on developing innovative products such as alfalfa protein ingredients to support sustainability goals, enhance nutritional value, and diversify plant-based protein applications. An alfalfa protein ingredient is a concentrated protein product extracted from alfalfa leaves that provides functional nutrition and a lower carbon footprint compared with conventional animal-derived proteins. For instance, in October 2025, Leaft Foods, a New Zealand-based producer of leaf-derived protein ingredients, launched Alfalfa Protein Concentrate (APC). The ingredient is produced using a proprietary leaf-extraction technology that delivers a nutrient-rich, low-carbon protein source with omega fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamin K. Its frozen-block format integrates easily into manufacturing processes and enables pet food companies to maintain meat-forward positioning while reducing the embedded carbon footprint of their formulations.

What Are Latest Mergers And Acquisitions In The Alfalfa Market?

In September 2023, Delhi Land & Finance, an India-based real estate company acquired Corteva, Incorporation's Alfalfa Breeding Program for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition of Corteva Agriscience's alfalfa breeding program has strengthened DLF's global position in alfalfa breeding, providing elite genetics, an industry-leading brand portfolio, and expanded market access to enhance its presence in the forage industry worldwide. Corteva Incorporation is a US-based agricultural chemicals company that specializes in seeds, crop protection, digital agriculture, and sustainable farming practices globally, with a focus on innovation and research.

Regional Outlook

North America was the largest region in the alfalfa market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the global alfalfa market during the forecast period. The regions covered in this market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in this market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Canada

What Defines the Alfalfa Market?

The alfalfa market consists of sales of alfalfa seeds, alfalfa hay, alfalfa sprouts, and alfalfa grass. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

How is Market Value Defined and Measured?

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified). The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

What Key Data and Analysis Are Included in the Alfalfa Market Report 2026?

The alfalfa market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides market statistics, including industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the market share, detailed market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the alfalfa industry. The market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future state of the industry.