1,3-Propanediol Price Trend and Forecast 2026-2027

1,3-Propanediol prices in the United States rose 4.8% in Q2 2026 to USD 3,480.00/MT from USD 3,320.00/MT in Q1, continuing a sharp reversal from the soft, oversupplied conditions that characterized most of 2025. Globally, the average rose from USD 3,203.14/MT in Q1 to USD 3,325.50/MT in Q2, a 3.8% gain. For H2 2026, a global average of USD 3,250.00-3,550.00/MT is expected, with tight inventories and elevated logistics costs tied to ongoing geopolitical shipping tensions likely to keep this market firm.

1,3-Propanediol, commonly abbreviated PDO, is a diol produced either petrochemically from ethylene oxide or through fermentation-based bio-routes from corn glucose, serving as a key building block for bio-based polymers such as Sorona-type polytrimethylene terephthalate fibers, as well as personal care formulations, polyurethanes, and specialty polyols. The bio-based route has gained increasing commercial traction as brands and regulators favor renewable feedstock sourcing, though petrochemical production remains dominant on cost grounds in several regions. Ethylene oxide and corn feedstock costs, downstream demand from bioplastics, personal care, and polyol producers, and shipping and logistics conditions are what drive prices in this market.

1,3-Propanediol Price Forecast for 2026

The outlook for 1,3-Propanediol through H2 2026 stays firm following the sharp reversal from 2025's soft conditions. Tight inventories across major producing regions, combined with elevated logistics and insurance costs tied to ongoing shipping tensions, should keep a floor under prices, while gradually improving downstream demand from the bioplastics and personal care sectors adds further support.

The main upside risk is a further tightening of export availability from major producing regions, which could push prices toward the top of the forecast range more quickly than expected. The main downside risk is a return of the inventory overhang that weighed on the market through most of 2025, particularly if Chinese domestic production continues expanding faster than demand can absorb.

For the Quarter Ending June 2026

1,3-Propanediol Prices Q2 2026:

• United States: USD 3,480.00/MT
• India: USD 3,410.00/MT
• Germany: USD 3,420.00/MT
• China: USD 2,870.00/MT

1,3-Propanediol Prices in the United States

US 1,3-Propanediol prices averaged USD 3,480.00/MT in Q2 2026, up 4.8% from USD 3,320.00/MT in Q1, as tight export markets and inventory drawdowns continued to support seller offers.

Why did the price of 1,3-Propanediol change in Q2 2026 in the United States?

Tight export markets and ongoing inventory drawdowns reduced available spot volumes, enabling sellers to maintain higher offers even as stable domestic plant rates provided some counterbalance.

1,3-Propanediol Prices in India

Indian prices averaged USD 3,410.00/MT in Q2 2026, up 2.6% from USD 3,324.54/MT in Q1, a more moderate gain than the sharp Q4 2025 jump as the market found a somewhat steadier footing.

Why did the price of 1,3-Propanediol change in Q2 2026 in India?

Tight import availability from China and the United States continued to elevate landed costs, though the pace of increase moderated somewhat compared with the sharp tightening seen at the end of 2025.

1,3-Propanediol Prices in Germany

German prices averaged USD 3,420.00/MT in Q2 2026, up 4.3% from USD 3,280.00/MT in Q1, as low inventories and steady procurement from personal care and polymer sectors continued supporting market sentiment.

Why did the price of 1,3-Propanediol change in Q2 2026 in Germany?

Reduced prompt availability across the region, combined with steady downstream demand from personal care and polymer sectors, kept German benchmark prices firm through the quarter.

1,3-Propanediol Prices in China

Chinese prices averaged USD 2,870.00/MT in Q2 2026, up 3.2% from USD 2,780.00/MT in Q1, the lowest of the four regions as ample domestic capacity continued to keep a lid on the pace of recovery.

Why did the price of 1,3-Propanediol change in Q2 2026 in China?

Domestic plant rates stayed relatively stable, and while export demand firmed alongside the broader global recovery, ample production capacity continued to limit how far Chinese offers could climb relative to import-dependent markets elsewhere.

For the Quarter Ending March 2026

1,3-Propanediol Prices Q1 2026:

• United States: USD 3,320.00/MT
• India: USD 3,324.54/MT
• Germany: USD 3,280.00/MT
• China: USD 2,780.00/MT

1,3-Propanediol Prices in the United States

US prices rose 5.4% in Q1 2026 to USD 3,320.00/MT from USD 3,150.00/MT in Q4 2025, as escalating geopolitical tensions pushed bunker fuel and insurance costs higher, increasing both logistical and production expenses.

Why did the price of 1,3-Propanediol change in Q1 2026 in the United States?

Escalating geopolitical tensions pushed bunker fuel and insurance costs higher, increasing logistical costs and production expenses, while stable domestic plant rates with limited capacity growth could not offset stronger export demand and tightening global supplies.

1,3-Propanediol Prices in India

Indian prices jumped 3.2% in Q1 2026 to USD 3,324.54/MT from USD 3,222.00/MT in Q4 2025, supported by firm export offers even after the sharp late-2025 tightening had already lifted the market's base level considerably.

Why did the price of 1,3-Propanediol change in Q1 2026 in India?

Tight export availability from China and the United States reduced spot supply and lifted landed costs, while rupee depreciation added further pressure to import expenses even as buyers remained cautious in their restocking pace.

1,3-Propanediol Prices in Germany

German prices rose 6.5% in Q1 2026 to USD 3,280.00/MT from USD 3,080.00/MT in Q4 2025, as European inventories tightened alongside steady downstream demand and rising logistics costs.

Why did the price of 1,3-Propanediol change in Q1 2026 in Germany?

1,3-Propanediol prices remained firm during the quarter as low inventories and steady procurement from personal care and polymer sectors supported market sentiment, with spot prices strengthening amid reduced prompt availability.

1,3-Propanediol Prices in China

Chinese prices rose 6.1% in Q1 2026 to USD 2,780.00/MT from USD 2,620.00/MT in Q4 2025, as tight export availability began lifting landed costs even in this historically well-supplied market.

Why did the price of 1,3-Propanediol change in Q1 2026 in China?

Tight export availability from China and the United States reduced spot supply broadly, and even China's own domestic market felt some of that same tightening as producers redirected volumes toward higher-priced export opportunities.

Quarterly 1,3-Propanediol Price Trends

Global 1,3-Propanediol prices spent most of 2025 in a soft, largely oversupplied state, particularly across Asia, before a sharp reversal took hold in the final quarter of the year and carried through into a firm first half of 2026, driven by tightening export availability and rising shipping-related costs tied to geopolitical tensions.

What was 1,3-Propanediol Price in 2025?

1,3-Propanediol told a genuinely uneven story across 2025. Weak downstream demand and robust Chinese domestic production kept the Asian market in a soft, irregular pattern for much of the year, Europe stayed stable to slightly weak, and only the United States and India posted meaningful annual gains, before the entire market reversed sharply higher heading into 2026.

1,3-Propanediol Prices in the United States in 2025

US prices firmed from about USD 3,050.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 3,150.00/MT by Q4, a modest gain of roughly 3.3%, before the sharper reversal took hold in early 2026.

1,3-Propanediol Prices in India in 2025

Indian prices firmed from about USD 2,950.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 3,222.00/MT by Q4, up roughly 9.2%, the strongest annual gain of the four regions as tightening import availability began lifting this import-dependent market well ahead of the broader global recovery.

1,3-Propanediol Prices in Germany in 2025

German prices actually declined slightly from about USD 3,100.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 3,080.00/MT by Q4, down roughly 0.6%, as the European market opened the year with good supply and only moderate downstream demand before tightening late in the year.

1,3-Propanediol Prices in China in 2025

Chinese prices declined from about USD 2,680.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 2,620.00/MT by Q4, down roughly 2.2%, as weak downstream demand from polymers and specialty chemicals, combined with robust domestic production, kept this market under pressure through most of the year.

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Expert Market Research: Your Source for Real-Time 1,3-Propanediol Price Intelligence

Expert Market Research tracks 1,3-Propanediol prices continuously across every major producing and consuming region, combining ethylene oxide and corn feedstock cost data, shipping and logistics conditions, and bioplastics and personal care sector demand signals into a single, regularly updated view of the market. Our team can help your procurement function benchmark current offers, plan purchases around the sharp 2025-to-2026 reversal covered in this report, and build a defensible view of where this bio-based building block is headed next. Reach out to our team for a tailored briefing or a deeper look at any of the regional markets covered here.