FEFAC warns EU reliant on China for feed additives
Study highlights risks to animal health and food production
23 December 2025
2 minute read
By: In a recent press release, the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC) warned that Europe remains heavily dependent on foreign suppliers, particularly China, for vitamins and amino acids used in animal feed, raising concerns over supply security and competitiveness.
Vitamins and amino acids are essential components of animal nutrition. Vitamins are critical for animal health, welfare and productivity, while amino acids play a key role in reducing nitrogen emissions and limiting reliance on imported protein sources such as soy. Without these additives, European livestock farming would struggle to meet animal health and environmental requirements.
To assess the scale of the risk, FEFAC, with expert support, carried out a study examining the EU feed and livestock sectors, focusing on essential nutritional additives. The analysis assessed how concentrated global markets are, the EU’s reliance on third countries, the ability of European production to meet internal demand, and whether supplies from lower-risk sources could replace imports from geopolitically sensitive regions.
The study shows that global production is highly concentrated. Nearly 80% of vitamins are produced in China, compared with just 8% in the EU. Some vitamins, including B9, C and K3, are not produced in the EU at all, nor is the amino acid threonine. The EU depends entirely on China for vitamin B9, sources 96% of biotin externally and produces only 6% of its lysine needs domestically. Overall, China accounts for 60–70% of the value of vitamins imported by the EU and 70–80% of amino acids.
Only a small number of countries produce these additives globally. Ten countries produce vitamins and 11 produce amino acids, with China, Russia and Belarus classified as high geopolitical risk suppliers. China is the only country producing all vitamins, with market shares ranging from 33% to as high as 99%.
According to the study, the EU imports between 35% and 100% of its vitamin requirements for feed use, with 60–70% coming from China. More than 95% of the EU’s lysine supply is sourced from third countries, driving overall dependence on imported amino acids. For several vitamins, including B3, B12 and biotin, import dependency exceeds 75%.
FEFAC noted that the figures may underestimate Europe’s real vulnerability. Some vitamins, such as A and E, rely on precursor substances that are themselves sourced from a limited number of countries, further concentrating supply chains. Achieving greater autonomy would require investment in new European production facilities. Methionine is currently an exception, as its production is more geographically diversified, though rising Chinese output could challenge European producers.
The federation said the core issue is not only limited production capacity but also weak competitiveness. European chemical and fermentation industries face significantly higher energy and raw material costs than competitors, particularly in China, discouraging domestic investment. At the same time, global demand for vitamins and amino acids is rising, driven by efficiency gains in farming and tighter environmental targets.
FEFAC warned that supply disruptions could have serious consequences. Shortages of key additives could undermine animal health and productivity and, over time, threaten Europe’s production of meat, milk, eggs and fish. With limited internal stockpiles, the EU could struggle to respond to interruptions.
Without a stronger industrial strategy, the federation said, Europe risks losing ground on sustainability objectives and food sovereignty.
