West Coast amino acid prices softened in February as abundant export offers and muted domestic procurement reduced seller leverage. A shift in Asia–Europe routing tightened container balances early month and pushed freight higher, yet mid-month arrivals proceeded without congestion, enabling inventories at Los Angeles terminals to rebuild. Demand was bifurcated by end-use: feed-integrator restocking was delayed, while poultry, swine and aquaculture buyers trimmed purchases; food and nutraceutical buyers kept spot inquiries light amid audits. The result was renewed downside pressure on landed quotes heading into spring restocking windows, even as fermentation input costs in producing regions edged higher. Supply remained ample from Chinese, Japanese and South Korean suppliers, keeping cargo availability healthy for the U.S. West Coast. Logistics costs rose, but inventories and softer U.S. demand kept landed values from rising. Looking ahead, analysts expect mixed, modest moves through spring and early summer, with prices oscillating around current levels as restocking and carrier capacity normalize.
