Domestic ex-factory price of azoxystrobin technical has begun to rally since late Dec. 2012 as the demand for this fungicide increased mainly from overseas market and the stocks of some leading domestic manufacturers got low. And these main factors stimulating price rise of azoxystrobin technical still exist, indicating that the product's price may continue going up to a certain extent in the next few months of this year, according to Fungicides China News issued by CCM in February.
Specifically, in late Dec. 2012, the ex-factory price of azoxystrobin 95% TC increased by 5.33% to about USD37,672/t (RMB237,000/t) compared with that in early Dec. 2012. It was not until 8 Jan., 2013 that a majority of domestic manufacturers raised their quoted prices, climbing to around USD38,692/t (RMB243,000/t), up 8.18% over early Dec. 2012. Moreover, this uptrend still prevails in the rest weeks of Jan. 2013. Moreover, it surged to USD39,804/t (RMB248,000/t) in early Feb. 2013.
As a matter of fact, the ex-factory price of azoxystrobin technical plummeted in China in 2010 and 2011 with the capacity expansion. Moreover, it still didn't manage to get rid of the decline trend in 2012.
In detail, the price fall range of azoxystrobin technical was bigger in the first four months of 2012. The ex-factory price of azoxystrobin 95% TC dropped to USD40,915/t (RMB258,000/t) in early April 2012, down 23.06% in comparison with that in early Jan. 2012.
From May to Sept. 2012, the price decline range of azoxystrobin 95% TC was smaller, only 6.74%. And in Q4 2012, the ex-factory price of this fungicide decreased to a relatively low level over the previous three quarters of last year. It is particularly worth noting that the ex-factory price of azoxystrobin 95% TC firstly fell below USD50,000/t (RMB318,471/t) in March 2012, hitting about USD45,904/t (RMB290,000/t), down 13.67% over early Jan. 2012. And it was not until July 2012 that its ex-factory price once again fell below USD40,000/t (RMB254,627/t) to about USD39,273/t (RMB250,000/t).
Thereafter, the ex-factory price of azoxystrobin 95% TC sank all the way and broke below the previous month's low in early Dec. 2012, less than USD36,000/t (RMB226,478/t), slipping to USD35,765/t (RMB225,000/t).
The increasing capacity resulted from more and more domestic agrochemcial companies' launch of their azoxystrobin technical production is the most important factor dragging down the ex-factory price of the product in the past three years. Furthermore, the rapid capacity expansion caused confusion in the market of azoxystobin technical, among which price disorder and malign competition were relatively serious problems.
It is well known that azoxystobin is the most popular fungicide in the world with an annual sales value of over USD1.0 billion at present, which attracted close attention of a large number of domestic agrochemical companies in the past few years. Coupled with the expired patent of the product in 2010, China's capacity of azoxystrobin technical witnessed a jump in 2011, amounting to about 1,500t/a.
Stepping into 2012, domestic companies' enthusiasm for azoxystrobin is not diminished but more inspired. This can be seen from the registration situation of azoxystrobin in China. According to the Institute for the Control of Agrochemicals, Ministry of Agriculture (ICAMA), the new registration quantity of azoxystrobin in 2012 amounted to 37 (not including repacking registration), including 22 for technical and 15 for formulations.
However, a majority of domestic manufacturers have had to reasonably plan production since H2 2012 due to the gloomy demand for azoxystrobin from overseas market and slimmer profit margin. As a result, they have tried to keep stock level low during the past few months, which can make the price right itself little by little.
Coupled with the coming of fungicide export peak season, most of azoxystrobin manufacturers in China have raised their quotations recently. Under the circumstances, the ex-factory price of azoxystrobin 95% TC witnessed a sound soar in the meantime. It is estimated that the ex-factory price of this fungicide will continue going up in the first half of 2013 with the demand push, but its rise range will not be very big due to the intense competition inside this industry.
Table contents of Fungicides China News 1302:
Ex-factory price of azoxystrobin technical rallies
2011-2012 field efficacy tests for 11 new fungicide AIs launched
Epoxiconazole to greatly push up Huifeng Agrochemical's 2013 performance
First batch of merged agrochemical companies released in China in 2013
Qingdao Hailir applying for first domestic registration of cyazofamid
Sinochem Agro launches new fungicide product: flumorph•pyraoxystrobin 25% SC
Chinese fungicides Imp. & Exp. analysis in 2012
Export volume of chlorothalonil technical drops in the first ten months of 2012
Langtai Biotech successfully develops formula of azoxystrobin 80% WG
Zibo Wanchang obtains two patents on azoxystrobin preparation method
Dimethomorph registration soars in China in 2012
New fungicide formulation registrations in 2012
Price update in Feb. 2013
Fungicides China News, a monthly publication issued by CCM on 10th, releases a wealth of exclusive analysis on market dynamics, company dynamics, import and export data, and other more brief news inside the industry. You may find cooperative opportunities with domestic and international manufacturers, supplier and exporters.
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