Amino acid markets: Container freight ex- China rebounding – sparking lysine interest
As container freight rates start to bottom out and even slightly increase again on several trade lanes ex China, buyers are starting to pay more attention now to lysine hcl and lysine sulphate in terms of buying additional Q1 volumes. Although no significant action has been seen yet. Learn more in this week’s feed additives snapshot (week 42)
After an increase in FOB China prices for threonine in the past few weeks, some suppliers have now started to decrease the price slightly again to trigger sales. Methionine market is weakish and by now Q4 has been contracted mostly. Prices decline step by step. Other smaller amino acids remain weakish.
In partnership with Feed Additive Prices
Lysine
The market is generally quiet, although some interest in additional Q1 cover is now seen. This is triggered by container freight rates that seem to bottom out and/or even start to increase again on some trade lanes. FOB China prices are mostly stable now, after some increase over the past weeks. Due to the weaker EUR against the USD, local prices in Europe have started to stabilise and even become a bit firm for Q1. A good portion of Q1 is contracted, but not all of it.
Threonine
Prices have recently increased considerably, not only on a FOB China basis but also in the local regions. A decent portion of Q1 has been contracted in the past few weeks. But since this week, some suppliers have reduced their FOB China offer as buyers have been very quiet. At the same time, valine production lines have been converted to threonine production, leading to more threonine availability and potential sales pressure. The market is very quiet right now.
DL-Methionine
Overall, a very quiet market, and in the past few weeks the remainder of Q4 has been quietly contracted. Prices have been weakening step by step lately and no changes are expected in that trend for the coming period. Q1 needs to be contracted still for the most part.
Tryptophan
Weak markets and prices are declining step by step. The global availability of tryptophan is currently very good and both Chinese and non-Chinese manufacturers are competing for market share. No nearby change is foreseen in this trend.
Valine
Record low prices have been reached now and several manufacturers have decided to stop offering and/or convert their production lines to the more profitable threonine production. Valine is said to be a loss-making product at the moment. There is a bit more interest from buyers to look at the remainder of Q4, although still very carefully as they expect prices to go down further. Q1 is mostly un-contracted.
