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Lactic Acid Prices, Demand and Supply Overview
Netherlands paid the most for lactic acid in Q2 2026: USD 2.04/KG, up 3.0% from USD 1.98 in Q1.
Lactic acid is produced by fermenting dextrose or corn starch, and to a lesser extent molasses, using lactic acid bacteria cultures. It trades in food grade for beverage and confectionery acidulant use, and increasingly in a higher-purity form as the building block for polylactic acid, or PLA, bioplastic.
The Netherlands hosts Corbion, one of the world's largest lactic acid and PLA producers, while the United States is home to NatureWorks, giving both countries an established position in the higher-value PLA feedstock segment specifically.
Thailand has emerged as a significant production hub for the bioplastics segment given its proximity to cassava and sugarcane feedstock supply, while China's lower-cost fermentation capacity primarily serves food and industrial grade demand.
Comparing the four markets side by side, Netherlands sat about 21% above China as Q2 closed. That kind of gap is common where import exposure and domestic production costs diverge as sharply as they do here.
Key Price Drivers
- Growing PLA bioplastic demand, the fastest-growing end use and increasingly the dominant price driver
- Food and beverage acidulant demand, the traditional and still substantial base market
- Dextrose and corn starch feedstock costs
- Fermentation capacity investment, particularly for the higher-purity PLA-grade segment
Lactic Acid Price Forecast for 2026
Expect steady gains through H2 2026 across all four markets as PLA bioplastic demand continues its structural growth.
The Netherlands should retain its premium position given its established PLA production infrastructure.
China's lower-cost food grade production should keep the region the most competitive source for that segment specifically.
On balance, the first half of 2026 brought a 4.1% increase average move across the 4 markets covered here, a trend that should persist through year end absent a material change in the underlying drivers.
| Region | 2026 Price Range (USD/KG) | Outlook |
| Global Average | 1.79 - 1.98 | Balance of regional supply and demand conditions |
| United States | 1.86 - 2.05 | Growing PLA bioplastic demand from packaging manufacturers supported another firm increase |
| China | 1.63 - 1.80 | Steady food and beverage acidulant demand met firming feedstock costs |
| Netherlands | 1.98 - 2.18 | Strong European PLA feedstock demand kept the region at the top of this group |
| Thailand | 1.70 - 1.87 | Growing bioplastics production capacity supported firm pricing in step with the broader global trend |
For the Quarter Ending June 2026
Lactic Acid Prices Q2 2026:
- United States: USD 1.92/KG
- China: USD 1.68/KG
- Netherlands: USD 2.04/KG
- Thailand: USD 1.75/KG
Lactic Acid Prices in United States
In Q2 2026, United States priced at USD 1.92/KG, up 3.8% from USD 1.85/KG the previous quarter, placing it the 2nd most expensive across the 4 regions covered in this report.
Why did the price of Lactic Acid change in Q2 2026 in United States?
Growing PLA bioplastic demand from packaging manufacturers supported another firm increase, leaving United States running roughly 3.9% above the 4-region average for the quarter.
Lactic Acid Prices in China
China reached USD 1.68/KG in Q2 2026, steady food and beverage acidulant demand met firming feedstock, putting it the most affordable of the 4 markets tracked this quarter.
Why did the price of Lactic Acid change in Q2 2026 in China?
Steady food and beverage acidulant demand met firming feedstock costs, supporting a solid quarter, with China now sitting about 9.1% below the 4-region average this quarter.
Lactic Acid Prices in Netherlands
Netherlands rose 3.0% to USD 2.04/KG in Q2 2026, strong European PLA feedstock demand kept the region at, making it the priciest of the 4 markets tracked here this quarter.
Why did the price of Lactic Acid change in Q2 2026 in Netherlands?
Strong European PLA feedstock demand kept the region at the top of this group, which puts Netherlands roughly 10.4% above the average across the 4 regions this report tracks.
Lactic Acid Prices in Thailand
USD 1.75/KG. That is where Thailand landed in Q2 2026, up 4.8% from USD 1.67/KG in Q1 2026, ranking it the 3rd most expensive among the 4 markets this report follows.
Why did the price of Lactic Acid change in Q2 2026 in Thailand?
Growing bioplastics production capacity supported firm pricing in step with the broader global trend, working out to Thailand trading about 5.3% below this quarter's 4-region average.
For the Quarter Ending March 2026
Lactic Acid Prices Q1 2026:
- United States: USD 1.85/KG
- China: USD 1.60/KG
- Netherlands: USD 1.98/KG
- Thailand: USD 1.67/KG
Lactic Acid Prices in United States
In Q1 2026, United States priced at USD 1.85/KG, up 1.8% from USD 1.82/KG the previous quarter, placing it the 2nd most expensive across the 4 regions covered in this report.
Why did the price of Lactic Acid change in Q1 2026 in United States?
Early-year PLA packaging demand supported a firm start to 2026, leaving United States running roughly 4.2% above the 4-region average for the quarter.
Lactic Acid Prices in China
China reached USD 1.60/KG in Q1 2026, feedstock costs firmed modestly as the year opened carrying, putting it the most affordable of the 4 markets tracked this quarter.
Why did the price of Lactic Acid change in Q1 2026 in China?
Feedstock costs firmed modestly as the year opened, carrying through to food grade pricing, with China now sitting about 9.9% below the 4-region average this quarter.
Lactic Acid Prices in Netherlands
Netherlands rose 1.7% to USD 1.98/KG in Q1 2026, steady demand from the region's established PLA production base, making it the priciest of the 4 markets tracked here this quarter.
Why did the price of Lactic Acid change in Q1 2026 in Netherlands?
Steady demand from the region's established PLA production base carried prices higher, which puts Netherlands roughly 11.5% above the average across the 4 regions this report tracks.
Lactic Acid Prices in Thailand
USD 1.67/KG. That is where Thailand landed in Q1 2026, up 1.9% from USD 1.64/KG in Q4 2025, ranking it the 3rd most expensive among the 4 markets this report follows.
Why did the price of Lactic Acid change in Q1 2026 in Thailand?
Growing regional bioplastics capacity supported a steady early-year gain, working out to Thailand trading about 5.9% below this quarter's 4-region average.
Quarterly Lactic Acid Price Trends
The global average climbed steadily across the window, from USD 1.65/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 1.85 by Q2 2026, a gain of 12.0% over six quarters.
| Quarter | Price (USD/KG) | QoQ Change | Direction |
| Q2 2026 | 1.85 | +4.1% | ↑ Rising |
| Q1 2026 | 1.77 | +1.8% | ↑ Rising |
| Q4 2025 | 1.74 | +1.8% | ↑ Rising |
| Q3 2025 | 1.71 | +1.8% | ↑ Rising |
| Q2 2025 | 1.68 | +1.8% | ↑ Rising |
| Q1 2025 | 1.65 | - | - Stable |
| Q3 2026 | In Progress | - | - In Progress |
What was Lactic Acid Price in 2025?
2025 was a steadily firming year for lactic acid. Starting near USD 1.65/KG in Q1, the global average finished the year at USD 1.74, a 5.6% increase across the four quarters.
Lactic Acid Prices in United States in 2025
United States prices moved from about USD 1.72/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 1.82 by Q4, up roughly 5.6%, leaving United States in 2 place among the 4 tracked markets heading into the new year.
Lactic Acid Prices in China in 2025
China prices moved from about USD 1.48/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 1.57 by Q4, up roughly 6.0%. That left China ranked 4 of 4 tracked markets heading into 2026.
Lactic Acid Prices in Netherlands in 2025
Netherlands prices moved from about USD 1.85/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 1.95 by Q4, up roughly 5.2%, placing Netherlands 1 of 4 tracked markets as 2025 closed out.
Lactic Acid Prices in Thailand in 2025
Thailand prices moved from about USD 1.55/KG in Q1 2025 to USD 1.64 by Q4, up roughly 5.8%. Thailand closed the year ranked 3 of the 4 markets this report tracks.
How We Can Help
Expert Market Research: Your Source for Real-Time Lactic Acid Price Intelligence
We monitor lactic acid markets across every region with meaningful production or consumption, connecting the price you see to the dextrose (corn starch fermentation) and molasses costs and demand conditions behind it. The result is a regularly updated view built from the ground up rather than a single static figure.
Our forecasts combine production capacity data with feedstock cost trends and regional demand signals, giving sourcing teams a defensible basis for budgeting and supplier negotiations beyond a single point estimate.
Get in touch with our analysts if you need a more detailed regional view, historical pricing beyond the six quarters shown here, or a sourcing analysis built specifically around your procurement footprint.
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Key Questions Answered in the Report
Lactic acid is produced by fermenting dextrose or corn starch, and to a lesser extent molasses, using lactic acid bacteria cultures. It trades in food grade for beverage and confectionery acidulant use, and increasingly in a higher-purity form as the building block for polylactic acid, or PLA, bioplastic.
In Q2 2026, it averaged USD 1.92/KG in United States, USD 1.68/KG in China, USD 2.04/KG in Netherlands, USD 1.75/KG in Thailand, with Netherlands the priciest of the 4 markets tracked in this report.
The global average moved from USD 1.74/KG in Q4 2025 to USD 1.77 in Q1 2026, then to USD 1.85 by Q2, a 6.0% increase across the two quarters.
Growing pla bioplastic demand from packaging manufacturers supported another firm increase, with similar dynamics playing out across the other regions this report tracks, each shaped by its own local mix of supply and demand.
Expect steady gains through H2 2026 across all four markets as PLA bioplastic demand continues its structural growth.
Netherlands commands the highest price of the 4 markets in this report, while China runs the most affordable. Local production economics, import exposure, and demand strength drive most of that gap, and the ranking is not fixed from quarter to quarter.
Growing PLA bioplastic demand, the fastest-growing end use and increasingly the dominant price driver; Food and beverage acidulant demand, the traditional and still substantial base market; Dextrose and corn starch feedstock costs, along with broader macroeconomic conditions across the 4 regions this report tracks.
Thailand has emerged as a significant production hub for the bioplastics segment given its proximity to cassava and sugarcane feedstock supply, while China's lower-cost fermentation capacity primarily serves food and industrial grade demand.
Polylactic acid packaging and disposable products have grown rapidly as manufacturers and consumers look for compostable alternatives to conventional plastics, and PLA-grade lactic acid requires higher purity than the traditional food and beverage acidulant market. That combination of volume growth and higher-value grade requirements is increasingly setting the direction for overall lactic acid pricing.
Monthly, though our analysts flag any material shift in feedstock costs or regional demand as soon as it emerges.
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