Amino Acids Prices: Lysine prices up – some suppliers sold out
FOB China prices for lysine have increased a bit again, after a weaker tone in the past weeks. And some suppliers have even stopped offering as they are sold out until the end of August shipment. Learn more in this week’s feed additives snapshot (week 24)
Threonine prices FOB China are stable again this week, but are said to be firming soon. The container freight rate to Europe and the Americas continues to firm and still has further upward potential at least throughout the summer, leading to firmer price offers for several amino acids for the remainder of Q3 and Q4. Methionine has been stable this week. The earlier weaker tone is offset by the container freight impact. Tryptophan, arginine and valine are weakish on a FOB China basis, but any price decline is currently offset by higher freight rates as well.
In partnership with Feed Additive Prices
Lysine
Several manufacturers have stopped offering or have increased prices slightly. Lysine hcl demand is good. In regions like Europe and the USA, the price is increasing. Especially in Europe, returning import duties in Q4 are anticipated and in all regions, the container freight costs are weighing heavy on the final lysine price. The container freight costs have increased significantly on the route from China to Europe and the Americas. Bottom line prices in these regions can go up further as the freight cost increase is higher than the recent FOB China price decline. This has led to higher interest in covering late Q3 and early Q4. New contracts are only being offered ex China for August shipment soonest. Q3 is contracted and a portion of Q4 is as well.
Here the market prices of 3 important amino acids are tracked – check it out…
Threonine
Prices FOB China have been stable last week and there are some indications they may go up a bit as demand is picking up. Container freight rates to several main ports have increased significantly, the local threonine prices have therefore already increased for Q3 and early Q4. Buyers have been contracted for a good portion of Q3. There is a wait-and-see attitude for longer-term contracts, although that sentiment is now changing to a buying one slowly.
DL-Methionine
No changes compared to previous weeks. Methionine prices have been slightly weaker in most regions, but stabilising again currently, as higher container freight rates compensate for any earlier decline. After a recent period of stable to firmer markets, the momentum to keep prices up is gone, at least for now. In almost all regions, the market is quiet and contracted forward. Q3 is mostly contracted ahead.
Tryptophan
Prices are stable in most regions, as the recent weaker tone is compensated by higher container freight rates, which offsets the decline. There is more production capacity allocated to smaller amino acids and more tryptophan is slowly coming on the market this and coming years, exceeding consumption. In local regions, like Europe, where Chinese suppliers do not have authorisations in place yet or can’t supply from Xinjiang origin, the local Western suppliers can keep higher prices. Some of Q3 is contracted but there is still a wait-and-see attitude.
Valine
Valine prices FOB China continue to be weak and there is not a lot of buying interest. But at the same time, the container freight costs are starting to have an impact now also on higher priced amino acids, so the end price in the local regions is actually stable at the moment. Prices in the USA are mostly stable to slightly weak. The market is very quiet at the moment and only small spot buying activity is seen. A portion of Q3 is contracted, but nothing any further ahead.
