In November last year, China's broiler releases totalled 1,195.76 million head, increasing by 0.54% or 6.40 million birds compared with October's 1,189.36 million birds, EFL AG DATA revealed. AA broiler prices averaged ¥7.35/kg (US$1.04/kg) in November, higher by 2.23% or ¥0.16/kg (US$0.02) from October's ¥7.19/kg (US$1.02). Compared to a year ago, they cost 6.37% less than November 2024's ¥7.85/kg (US$1.11).

Any discussion of Chinese layer-breeding companies expanding overseas inevitably leads to Ningxia Xiaoming Agriculture & Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd. Xiaoming is the only listed company in China's layer breeding sector. Domestically, it holds a market share of about 25%; in Mongolia, its share has exceeded 50%.

Livestock producers in China continued to suffer losses, hence impeding the sales of feed additives in November. Feed producers were reluctant to place orders as feed sales were limited. Nonetheless, vitamin producers stood firm on prices, as several products were at record low levels.

According to the New Poultry Outlook 2025 survey data, China now has 80 companies, each operating with over one million birds, and all of these together hold more than 260 million hens (23.66% of the national total). However, in stark contrast to high flock numbers and rapid consolidation, egg prices in 2025 hit their lowest levels in years.

Since 2025, China's market for feed additives, such as vitamins and amino acids, has shown an overall pattern of supply exceeding demand and prices falling. Prices for most categories have continued to decline, and some varieties have even approached or fallen below production costs. This phenomenon is caused by the combined effects of multiple factors, including capacity release, weak demand, export pressure, and weakened cost support.

China's livestock market remained weak after the holidays in early October, hence limiting the sales of feed additives. Feed additive sales were slow in the month, as feed producers were reluctant to build inventory while limiting feed production. As a result, the prices of most vitamin products were lower.

In November, the Philippines' Department of Agriculture (DA), together with hog producers in the country, determined the minimum farmgate price (per kilogramme) for live hogs at ₱210 (US$3.56). The purpose of this move is to support the swine industry, already beleaguered by intensifying financial losses.

In October, broiler prices in Vietnam recovered to stable levels, reflecting an increase in prices for the white feather broiler segment.

Pre-festive livestock markets in China performed poorly in September, hence curtailing feed additives sales. With the sluggish Chinese economy, the demand for pork, chicken, and eggs was unusually weak before the long October holidays. Feed producers were cautious with the purchasing of feed additives ingredients and stocked limited inventories as the outlook of the livestock markets remained bleak.

From late September to mid-October, methionine prices in Thailand were mostly stable, hinting at the moderate balance between supply and demand. In the week ended September 26, DL-methionine (99%) edged up slightly from ฿88.3/kg (US$2.73) to ฿89.0/kg (US$2.77), reflecting minor upward adjustments amid steady regional demand and balanced inventories.

On September 1, the quotation for Peruvian, Japanese-grade fishmeal in the Pearl River Delta region was ¥12,550/tonne (US$1,760/tonne). By September 30, the quotation had surged to ¥14,950/tonne (US$2,097/tonne) - a rise of ¥2,400/tonne (US$337/tonne) in just one month. The surge in fishmeal prices was the result of multiple factors.

The price trend of broilers in the Philippines has stabilized toward early October, following a slight increase of about ₱2/kg (US$0.03) and a steady rise over the preceding two weeks. This price movement suggests a good balance between supply and demand, which may have begun to soften as October approached.

As Vietnam's African swine fever situation showed signs of abatement, swine prices in the country were seen recovering, with some increases in mid-September - this was due to smaller pig herd sizes, which led to the tightening of supplies. In the week ending August 15, market prices of pigs averaged around ₫55,000–59,400/kg (US$2.16–2.34), down by about ₫3,000–3,900/kg (US$0.12–0.15) from the week ending August 8.

From mid-August to mid-September, Thailand's corn prices have fluctuated mildly, a sign of adequate supply coupled with at least moderate demand.

In August 2025, Indonesia's broiler segment saw some price increases, with prices generally hovering around the Rp20,000/kg-plus (US$1.22) range.

China's ruminant sector mainly consists of dairy cattle, beef cattle, and sheep. From a feed consumption perspective, dairy and beef cattle dominate ruminant feed demand, accounting for over 70% on a long-term basis. Since 2018, when raw milk prices surged from record lows and farming became highly profitable, the number of Holstein dairy cattle in China began to rise gradually from its trough. By 2013, the herd peaked at 6.5 million head.

As a nation with one of the world's highest pork production, Vietnam has unfortunately seen its pig farms hammered repeatedly by waves of African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in recent times. State media reported a rising number of ASF cases and the number of pigs infected "more than tripling in just two weeks." This year, 972 outbreaks have been detected so far, a spike from 514 confirmed in mid-July, a local newspaper noted in early August. Additionally, Vietnam's agriculture ministry revealed that in the same period, the number of infected pigs rose to more than 100,000 from 30,000.

Slack demand for animal feeds hampered the sales of feed additives in July. The vitamin market was mostly weak in the month as feed producers were reluctant to place orders. As supplies of vitamin E from BASF increased steadily, prices tumbled by 23% over the month while buyers, who had stocked sufficient inventories, held back purchases. Compared with a year ago, vitamin E prices were lower by 28%.

Between 2020 and 2025, China’s total aquafeed production exhibited a trend of "rise first, then decline." After peaking in 2022 at 24.456 million tons, production fell by 4.7% to 23.503 million tons in 2023, and further contracted to 22.131 million tons in 2024. In the first half of 2025, there was a modest year-on-year increase of 0.31%, indicating the beginning of a bottoming-out phase.

The United States' move to reorder world trade continues US President Donald Trump's deglobalisationist agenda, which could dramatically reshape agricultural trade in Southeast Asia, mostly in favour of the US. Each country will have to contend with its own challenges as trade deals (signed usually to avoid hefty US tariffs) will now open their markets to a huge influx of US agricultural products.

According to the 2024 edition of the China Fisheries Statistical Yearbook, the total output of farmed shrimp in 2023 reached 6.2 million tonnes, with crayfish alone accounting for over half of this at 3.16 million tonnes. The total output of penaeid shrimp (commonly referred to as prawns) was about 2.5 million tonnes.

In June, Chinese feed producers were not keen to stock feed additives, as the livestock market showed little improvement. Weak trend prevails in the vitamins markets amid cautious mood and ample availability. Vitamin E prices dropped most significantly by 17% in June as supplies increased steadily (and BASF resumed production). During Q2, vitamin prices have plummeted by almost 40%, and compared with a year ago, prices were 5% higher.

In July, China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (Fisheries and Fisheries Administration Bureau) released the 2024 National Fisheries Economic Statistical Bulletin. Last year, the country's aquaculture production totalled 60.6003 million tonnes, representing a year-on-year growth of 4.31%. Of this, marine aquaculture production reached 37.0887 million tonnes, up 3.45%, and freshwater aquaculture production was 36.4872 million tonnes, an increase of 3.34%.

By the end of 2024, Hubei province in central China reached a stock of 154 million laying hens, representing over 10% of the national market. Hunan's layer stock surpassed 50 million birds, Anhui's reached over 70 million, while Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Fujian recorded layer stocks of 30 million, 20 million, and 17 million birds respectively. The combined layer inventory of the three South China provinces exceeded 30 million, and that of the five provinces in Southwest China surpassed 110 million.

Official data shows that China's total chicken exports surged to 770,300 tonnes—an increase of 39.02%. Among the key export destinations, Japan stood out, importing 185,400 tonnes from China and accounting for 24.07% of total exports. The significant growth in Chinese chicken exports is the outcome of internal developments and favourable external conditions.

In 2024, China's grain inclusion rate of feed averaged 60.89%, equating to around 290 million tonnes of grain. This includes 180 million tonnes of corn, 33 million tonnes of wheat, and 77 million tonnes of soybean meal.Under a new plan, the country's soybean meal consumption would drop to 49 million tonnes — a reduction of 28 million tonnes compared to 2024.

In 2025, China's pig farming industry officially enters a new era of cost competition - most major pig companies have set ambitious targets to reduce production costs to RMB13/kg (US$1.80), while top players like Muyuan, Wens, and Shennong aim for a more aggressive goal of ¥10/kg (US$1.39). The crisis of 2023 - marked by persistently low pig prices, high farming costs, and significant financial losses - has set the tone for the industry. It highlighted the urgent need to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency in 2024 and beyond.

Vietnam's enforcement of its Livestock Law had pushed several big and contract pig farms — specifically those in the country's southern provinces — to relocate from restricted zones before January 1, 2025. This development disrupted pig production as suspensions and lowered capacity ensued, sparking strained supplies. Additionally, small and medium-scale farmers are hindered from upsizing pig numbers as they stumble upon difficulties obtaining credit and breeding stock.