China’s Lactoferrin Dilemma: Undersupply & Overpricing

Lactoferrin prices in China have skyrocketed in the wake of implementation of China’s new national Lactoferrin standard last year, witnessing a several fold increase starting at 3,000RMB/Kg to now reaching 13,000RMB/KG. In 2017, China increased the stringency of Lactoferrin purity requirements from 90% to 95%. In practical terms the 5% increase represents a significant technical challenge for manufacturers and has forced many lower technical capacity manufacturers from the market, resulting in a significant decrease in overall supply and the accompanying increase in price.