Vitamin B2 & lysine firmer in several regions while vitamin A & E remain weak

Already significant volume is contracted for Q3 and partly Q4 in previous weeks. Threonine suppliers continue to try to increase prices, but resistance amongst buyers is building towards paying those higher prices. Strong wait and see attitude now and buyers are waiting to see what the mostly quiet summer period will do to the market. Some first cracks can be seen in the spot dl-methionine price in Europe, it has weakened a few cents. Other regions are stable and the market is quiet. Tryptophan is firmer in China, but not in other regions so far. Valine is very calm and prices are weakening.

A lot of speculation this week, that new price strategies for vitamins will be concluded during the CPHI exhibition that is held this week in Shanghai. So far, vitamin E and A show no changes and are stable to weak. Vitamin B3 remains firm in the spot market, although the market has gone relatively quiet. Buyers continue to monitor closely if their existing contracts at low prices will be executed on time and in full. Vitamin B2 showed a firmer tone recently in some regions and suppliers stopped offering, although several of them have now returned to the market. Vitamin D3 and d-calpan are weakish, but at the same time there is more resistance seen at suppliers to lower the price further.

In partnership with Feed Additive Prices
Lysine

Although not yet seen in all regions, the market for lysine hcl starts to feel a bit firmer. There is a strong desire from manufacturers to increase the prices and that led to a buying round last week for the remainder of Q3 and a good portion of Q4 at the low prices. Chinese suppliers have stopped offering for now and are most likely returning to the market after the CPHI exhibition in Shanghai which is held this week. The summer is still long though and mostly quiet, so it remains to be seen what the final result will be. Stable FOB China prices for some time now, at a low level, have triggered buyers to assess risk and in some cases take forward contract cover for late Q3 and into Q4.

Threonine

In several regions, buyers have now become reluctant to buy threonine any further than Q3. They want to see first how the price will develop during the mostly quiet summer months. But, threonine suppliers continue to try to increase prices. A significant new capacity volume is still supposed to come on the market in the summer, and there are no signs as yet that it will be postponed any further. Q3 is mostly contracted by now.

DL-Methionine

In Europe, the first cracks can be seen in the recent firmer market. It has become really quiet after the recent Q3 buying round and spot prices have come down a few cents last week and this week. More material has been exported ex China to Europe in 2023 compared to 2022. In other regions, the price has been stable for some time already and has not seen the same increase that can be seen in the EU. Other regions have not contracted fully for Q3 and have a more spot-buying approach. Prices are stable right now in all regions, with a slightly weaker tone in Europe.

Tryptophan

No significant changes are seen compared to previous weeks. Prices FOB China remain firm(er), but no impact is seen really on/in other regions. Prices remain stable there. A good portion of Q3 is contracted in most regions.

Valine

Right now, valine markets are mostly weakish and quiet. There is ample supply from the main manufacturers and that has led to lower prices recently in almost all regions. Demand is still behind compared to previous years plus capacity has and will come on the market. For example, a main Chinese supplier is turning a threonine factory around to produce valine. At this moment the market is relatively calm. Some transactions are seen for spot, but nothing unusual. A decent portion of Q3 is contracted.

Vitamin E 50%

There is no change reported in any region compared to previous weeks. The overall vitamin E market shows slightly weaker prices again, despite maintenance shutdowns and despite a strong desire from the manufacturers to increase prices. Traders, in particular, continue to sell off material at a discount, leading to a price decline. The market is contracted for a decent portion of Q3.

Vitamin A 1000

Absolutely no change seen in the market dynamics, other than summer maintenance announced by manufacturers, which has not done anything to the market so far. Vitamin A continues to follow the same trends as it has in previous months. Meaning stable to weak at a very low market price. Several buyers have concluded long-term contracts into late Q3 at these low price levels. Seems that all market participants are in a wait-and-see mode right now, with manufacturers trying to move the price back up, but without success so far. A decent portion of Q3 is contracted.

Vitamin D3 500

As the market has been weakish lately in most regions, and still at a low price level, there is now again more resistance coming from suppliers to reduce the prices further. The market remains quiet though and well contracted ahead into Q3. The regulation around the import of vitamin D3 500 into the EU, made of animal origin (components) is now more clear going forward.

Vitamin B2 80%

An ongoing desire of Chinese manufacturers to increase the price. For some time no prices were offered at all, but that seems to have changed now as suppliers have returned to the market. As a result, the market has indeed been firmer the last few weeks and higher prices have been paid. But momentum seems to have slowed down and the market has contracted ahead by now. In other regions, some firmer prices were also seen, but material was contracted already well into Q3. In Europe, prices have stayed stable.

D-Calpan

More resistance is seen from manufacturers to lower the price further, but ultimately they also do not want to lose too much market share. The market remains weak and prices have been coming down recently in most regions. There is a decent contract cover for Q3, but some buyers also continue to buy hand-to-mouth as they expect even lower prices.

Vitamin B3

The vitamin B3 market remains firm, but less active in terms of buying/selling activity. A lot of longer-term contracts have been concluded, but the focus is now on contract execution and the availability of product to fulfill those pending contracts. Most end-users have already contracted a big portion of Q3 and even Q4 at a mix of the low prices some time ago and at the recent/current higher prices.