(±)-Methionine

DL-Methionine: Recent Market Dynamics Report

I. Market Price Dynamics
1. Hebei Huayang Biotechnology Co., Ltd. Quotation: As of June 2, Hebei Huayang Biotechnology Co., Ltd., based in Hengshui City, Hebei Province, quoted DL-methionine at RMB 70,000 per metric ton; this price remained stable from late May to early June.
2. Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Regional Market Quotation: On June 8, some distributors in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region quoted solid methionine at approximately RMB 40–41 per kilogram, with prices subject to negotiation.
3. Historical Price Volatility: From late April to early May, DL-methionine prices surged significantly—solid methionine rose sharply from RMB 30,000 per metric ton to RMB 80,000 per metric ton—before subsequently retreating and stabilizing around RMB 70,000 per metric ton.

II. Supply-Demand Situation
1. Supply Side:
- Production Capacity Distribution: Global DL-methionine production capacity is highly concentrated, with China now the world’s largest producing region, accounting for 40% of total global capacity. Key producers include NHU (New Huachang/New Hecheng) and Adisseo. NHU’s total equity capacity reaches 550,000 metric tons per year, ranking third globally.
- Supply Disruption: Escalating geopolitical tensions have led to partial shutdowns of methionine facilities at Evonik’s Singapore plant, further amplifying supply-side disruptions.
- New Capacity Additions: Although additional domestic capacity is scheduled to come online starting in H2 2026, such new output will not meaningfully alleviate near-term supply constraints; thus, the global supply shortage persists.

2. Demand Side:
- Feed Demand: As an essential nutritional additive in animal feed, DL-methionine demand continues to grow steadily. Rising global population and increasing consumption of animal protein are driving expansion across livestock farming, aquaculture, and poultry industries—fueling sustained growth in DL-methionine demand.
- Downstream Restocking: Feed manufacturers—having operated through a low-inventory cycle during 2024–2025—are now entering an active restocking phase, further widening the market supply-demand gap.

III. Key Market Influencing Factors Analysis
1. Geopolitical Tensions: Escalation in Middle Eastern conflicts has driven up energy and basic chemical raw material costs while undermining global supply chain stability—contributing to higher DL-methionine production costs and market prices.
2. Industry Cycle: DL-methionine prices remained depressed throughout 2024–2025, pushing many industry players into losses and accelerating capacity rationalization. Entering 2026, the sector has naturally entered a cyclical upturn, with supply contraction effects gradually becoming evident.
3. Inventory Levels: As of March 2026, industry-wide DL-methionine inventory stood at only 15,700 metric tons—the lowest level in the past decade. Traders widely practice “inventory hoarding” and “quotation suspension,” resulting in extremely tight spot market liquidity.

IV. Analysis, Outlook & Forecast
1. Short-Term Price Trend: Impacted by geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions, DL-methionine prices are expected to remain elevated in the near term. With ongoing downstream restocking demand and persistent supply tightness, prices may rise further.
2. Medium- to Long-Term Price Trend: Although new domestic capacity is slated for gradual commissioning from H2 2026 onward, robust global demand growth and structural supply tightness are expected to sustain a higher price floor. Over the medium to long term, prices are projected to trend upward with volatility.
3. Market Structure Evolution: With continued expansion of Chinese production capacity and reallocation of global market share, Chinese DL-methionine producers will assume a more prominent role in the global market. Concurrently, industry concentration is expected to increase further, enabling leading enterprises—with advantages in scale, cost efficiency, and brand strength—to consolidate dominant positions in competitive dynamics.