Market Forecast: Demand for Soil Moisture Sensors 2025–2030

Soil Moisture Sensors: From Supporting Tools to Decision-Making Cores

In the wave of agricultural digitalization, soil moisture sensors are evolving from auxiliary instruments into central components of farm decision-making. Facing frequent droughts, water stress, and climate uncertainty, farmers increasingly rely on real-time soil moisture data to achieve precision irrigation and operational efficiency.

According to Grand View Research (2024), the global soil moisture sensor market reached USD 370 million in 2023 and is projected to exceed USD 900 million by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 14%.

Between 2025 and 2030, the market will enter an acceleration phase driven by three key factors: 

IoT integration across farms, AI analytics platforms enabling predictive irrigation, and Supportive government policies for sustainable agriculture.

Market Landscape and Growth Drivers

Initially used mainly for scientific research — such as the USDA Soil Moisture Monitoring Program — soil sensors are now widely deployed across commercial farms. The mainstream technologies include:

Capacitive sensors: corrosion-resistant, low power consumption, ideal for long-term buried use.

TDR/FDR reflection sensors: high precision, best for research and automated irrigation.

Multi-parameter sensors: measure moisture, temperature, EC, and pH simultaneously. 

Key Growth Drivers

1.Water Resource Pressure

The FAO reports that agriculture consumes over 70% of global freshwater. Extreme weather in Europe and Australia during 2024 further underscored the need for precise water management. Studies show that soil moisture-based irrigation can save 20–40% of water while stabilizing crop yields.

2. Policy and Subsidy Support

The EU Green Agriculture Program (CAP) offers up to 50% subsidy for sensor installations. 

The U.S. Climate Smart Agriculture Initiative promotes smart irrigation networks.

China’s “14th Five-Year Digital Agriculture Strategy” drives IoT deployment in major grain zones. 

3. Falling Technology Costs

Thanks to LoRa and NB-IoT adoption, deployment costs per acre have dropped from over CNY 1,000 to under 300, accelerating adoption across developing markets.

Research and Markets (2025) forecasts the global soil moisture sensor market to rise from USD 450 million in 2025 to over USD 1 billion by 2030, at an average annual growth rate of 13–14%. 

Technology Trends: From Monitoring to Intelligent Decision-Making

Between 2025 and 2030, the soil sensor industry will advance through three major transformations — integration, intelligence, and ecosystem connectivity.

1.Integration

Traditional single-function probes are being replaced by multi-sensor modules.
Niubol’s next-generation NBL-S-TMC-7 sensor integrates temperature, moisture, EC, and pH monitoring into one device — reducing maintenance costs and data complexity.

2. Intelligence

Modern IoT sensors combined with AI-driven platforms can identify irrigation patterns and optimize schedules based on crop type, soil composition, and weather forecasts.

3. Ecosystem Connectivity

Sensor networks now integrate with weather stations, fertilizer injectors, and UAV imaging systems, forming a complete Agricultural IoT ecosystem.
Through platforms such as Niubol Cloud, farmers can visualize historical moisture data, overlay it with local weather forecasts, and receive automated irrigation recommendations.

Regional Outlook and Opportunities

North America

The U.S. remains the largest market, accounting for over 30% of global demand. Farms in California, Texas, and the Midwest commonly use LoRa-based networks linked to central irrigation systems.

Europe

Germany and the Netherlands lead in greenhouse automation, using dense sensor networks to regulate ventilation and water use. The EU aims for 70% digital farm coverage by 2030.

Asia-Pacific

China and India are the fastest-growing markets. 

China’s “Smart Agriculture Demonstration Zones” drive sensor adoption with over 15% annual growth. 

India’s NICRA program promotes low-cost IoT soil monitoring systems for drought-prone regions. 

Latin America and the Middle East

Brazil and Chile focus on water-efficient farming, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE rapidly deploy desert greenhouse projects with soil moisture monitoring to combat extreme aridity.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How to choose the right type of soil sensor?

Capacitive sensors are ideal for long-term monitoring; TDR sensors offer the highest precision but at higher cost; resistive sensors are better suited for teaching or short-term use.

Q2: How to ensure data accuracy?

Use factory-calibrated probes, avoid rocky or pipeline areas, and ensure good soil contact. Niubol sensors feature automatic temperature compensation for enhanced accuracy.

Q3: Is internet connectivity mandatory?

Niubol LoRa series supports offline data logging and scheduled uploads, perfect for remote or rural locations.

Q4: How dense should the installation be?

Typically, one node per 5–10 hectares provides reliable regional data, depending on soil uniformity.

Q5: How can it integrate with automated irrigation systems?

Through Modbus or MQTT protocols, sensors can trigger irrigation events based on real-time soil data.

Niubol: Making Every Drop of Water Count

Niubol delivers high-precision IoT-based agricultural monitoring solutions, including:

Soil Multi-Parameter Sensors (NBL-S-TM Series)

Wireless Data Loggers (LoRa/4G)

Automatic Weather Stations and Niubol Cloud Analytics Platform

Niubol systems are deployed in China, Brazil, India, Spain, and Mongolia, helping farmers implement smart irrigation, fertigation management, and sustainable crop production.

Visit www.niubol.com to learn how Niubol IoT sensors can optimize your irrigation system. Precision agriculture—from “farming by weather” to “farming by data.” 

Conclusion

The years 2025–2030 will mark the golden era for the soil moisture sensor market.
With the convergence of AI, 5G, and satellite technologies, soil sensors will evolve from measurement tools to the foundation of intelligent agricultural ecosystems.

Whether in large-scale farms or precision greenhouses, data-driven irrigation will define the next generation of sustainable agriculture.
Niubol believes the future of smart farming is not only about increasing yields but also about ensuring that every inch of soil and every drop of water is used wisely.

Soil moisture sensor datasheet:

1.NBL-S-THR Soil Temperature Moisture Sensor datasheet

NBL-S-THR-Soil-temperature-and-moisture-sensors-Instruction-Manual-V4.0.pdf

2. NBL-S-TMC Soil Temperature Moisture EC Sensor datasheet

NBL-S-TMC-Soil-temperature-and-moisture-conductivity-sensor.pdf

3. NBL-S-TM Soil Temperature Moisture Sensor datasheet

NBL-S-TM-Soil-temperature-and-moisture-sensor-Instruction-Manual-4.0.pdf

4. NBL-S-TMCS Soil Temperature, Moisture, Conductivity and Salinity Integrated Sensor

NBL-S-TMCS-Soil-Temperature-Humidity-Conductivity-and-Salinity-Sensor.pdf