Benzaldehyde market in India moved decisively lower through January 2026 as softer import offers from China and a year-end lull in domestic buying created a buyers’ market. Early January saw Chinese offers and rising freight costs, while cargo availability met weakened demand. Late January port arrivals outpaced lifting, building inventories that reinforced downward pressure on spot activity. Seasonal patterns, with flavours and fragrances winding down after the Q4 confectionery push and agro-formulators holding pre-kharif stocks, dampened enquiries and left sellers trimming offers into month-end. Downstream demand was muted across end-use sectors, with the flavors-to-fragrances chain slowed, and pharmaceuticals reporting soft call-offs for benzyl alcohol intermediates as API units ran routine maintenance. Agro-chemical formulators remained cautious ahead of pre-kharif activity, and downstream polymer consumption softened. Coatings, dyes and preservatives showed moderate demand weakness. The near-term outlook is mixed: modest softness in February and March with a potential rebound later, while downside risk persists if demand remains tepid and inventories stay elevated.
