Please Wait.....
Report
Formic Acid - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2025 - 2030)
Market Report I 2025-09-01 I 120 Pages I Mordor Intelligence
Formic Acid Market Analysis
The Formic Acid Market size is estimated at 1.10 Million tons in 2025, and is expected to reach 1.33 Million tons by 2030, at a CAGR of 3.91% during the forecast period (2025-2030). Rising demand for antibiotic-free animal feed, accelerating investment in bio-based production, and steady uptake across leather, rubber, and pharmaceutical applications underpin this growth path. Animal feed preservation already captures 37.04% of global consumption, and bio-based routes are expanding at 4.72% CAGR as producers seek lower-carbon footprints. Regional momentum is led by Asia-Pacific, where abundant manufacturing capacity and supportive policies are expected to secure a 4.61% regional CAGR through 2030. Process innovation-most notably electrochemical CO?-to-formic acid conversion-could further reshape supply economics as pilot projects move toward commercial scale
Global Formic Acid Market Trends and Insights
Growing Demand for Animal Feed and Silage Additives
Demand for antibiotic-free livestock production has positioned formic acid as a preferred preservative and antimicrobial. At 4 kg/ton in poultry diets, the acid can drive Salmonella counts to undetectable levels, safeguarding food safety and reinforcing regulatory compliance. The European Food Safety Authority allows inclusion rates up to 12,000 mg/kg for pigs and 10,000 mg/kg for poultry, providing legal certainty that accelerates adoption. These factors collectively lift feed-segment consumption above overall formic acid market growth.
Substantial Demand from Leather and Tanning Industry
Premium leather production relies on formic acid to adjust bath pH to 3.8-4.2, accelerating chrome fixation while lowering salt loads compared with mineral acids. Chinese and Indian tanneries, which supply a sizable portion of global hides, increasingly specify ? 85% purity, opening price-premium opportunities for suppliers able to guarantee consistency.
Methanol Feedstock Price Volatility
Because methanol represents 60-70% of production costs in methyl formate hydrolysis, natural-gas-linked price swings compress margins and complicate long-term supply contracts. Producers are hedging by piloting CO? electro-reduction routes that could break feedstock dependence if renewable power prices keep falling.
Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:
Increasing Demand for Rubber Products / Growing Adoption in Pharmaceutical Industry for Antibacterial Properties / Risks Related to Corrosion and Handling /
For complete list of drivers and restraints, kindly check the Table Of Contents.
Segment Analysis
Animal feed & silage additives controlled 37.04% of global volume in 2024, giving the segment the largest slice of formic acid market size. Supported by regulatory curbs on antibiotic growth promoters, this share is projected to widen at a 4.21% CAGR. In poultry rations, inclusion rates of 4 kg/ton eliminate detectable Salmonella, boosting farmer confidence and retailer acceptance. Leather tanning remains the second-largest application, capitalizing on the acid's pH control and chrome-penetration benefits, while textile mills value its dye-bath buffering capability. Pharmaceutical and specialty chemical uses are emerging, where high-purity requirements yield premium prices.
Growth prospects extend to natural rubber processing, which adopts formic acid for faster coagulation kinetics and higher aggregate tensile strength. Cleaning and descaling occupy a steady but smaller niche, leveraging the acid's mineral-scale dissolving power at lower environmental impact than stronger inorganic acids. Safety-engineered formulations such as SoftAcid broaden access among smaller operations, suggesting incremental demand upside over the forecast period.
The Global Formic Acid Market is Segmented by Application (Animal Feed and Silage Additives, Leather Tanning, and More), Production Method (Methyl Formate Hydrolysis, Carbonylation Technology, and Other Production Methods), End-Use Industry (Agriculture, Leather and Footwear, and More) and Geography (Asia-Pacific, North America, and More). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Volume (tons).
Geography Analysis
Asia-Pacific held 53.21% of global consumption in 2024, giving the region the largest slice of formic acid market share. China dominates regional supply, leveraging integrated methanol and downstream chemical complexes to ensure cost competitiveness. India's producers, supported by export incentives and growing domestic leather output, are building new plants that lift regional self-sufficiency. Japan and South Korea source high-purity material for electronics and pharmaceutical synthesis, while Indonesia drives incremental growth through rubber-sector uptake.
North America is the second-largest region, propelled by a vast animal-protein sector and government funding for CO?-utilization R&D. The United States leads pilot deployment of electrochemical production units, eyeing commercial scale by decade-end. Canada's demand is tied mainly to grain and livestock production, whereas Mexico sees rising leather and textile usage.
Europe combines strict feed and chemical regulations with aggressive decarbonization targets, spurring investment in bio-based processes. EU anti-dumping measures on imported chemicals intensify competition and encourage local capacity expansion. South America's growth centers on Brazil's expanding livestock sector, while the Middle East benefits from diversification agendas that encourage specialty-chemical investments. Cross-regional trade flows will likely stay fluid as Asia grows exports and western regions pivot to low-carbon supply chains.
List of Companies Covered in this Report:
BASF / Eastman Chemical Company / Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd / Luxi Chemical Group Co.,Ltd. / Perstorp / POLIOLI SpA / Sintas Kurama Perdana / Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd / Shandong Acid Technology Co., Ltd. / Shandong Rongyue Chemical Co. Ltd / Wuhan Ruisunny Chemical Co. Ltd /
Additional Benefits:
The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format /
3 months of analyst support /
1 Introduction
1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition
1.2 Scope of the Study
2 Research Methodology
3 Executive Summary
4 Market Landscape
4.1 Market Overview
4.2 Market Drivers
4.2.1 Growing Demand for Animal Feed and Silage Additives
4.2.2 Substantial Demand from Leather and Tanning Industry
4.2.3 Increasing Demand for Rubber Products
4.2.4 Growing Adoption in Pharmaceutical Industry for Antibacterial Properties
4.2.5 Growing Advancements in its Bio-based Production Technologies
4.3 Market Restraints
4.3.1 Methanol feedstock price volatility
4.3.2 Risks Related to Corrosion and Handling
4.3.3 Rising Usage of bio-propionic acid as alternative
4.4 Value Chain Analysis
4.5 Porter's Five Forces
4.5.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
4.5.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers
4.5.3 Threat of New Entrants
4.5.4 Threat of Substitutes
4.5.5 Degree of Competition
4.6 Price Analysis
5 Market Size and Growth Forecasts (Volume)
5.1 By Application
5.1.1 Animal Feed and Silage Additives
5.1.2 Leather Tanning
5.1.3 Textile Dyeing and Finishing
5.1.4 Intermediary in Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals
5.1.5 Other Applications (Rubber and Latex Coagulation, Cleaning and Descaling Agents, etc.)
5.2 By Production Method
5.2.1 Methyl Formate Hydrolysis
5.2.2 Carbonylation Technology
5.2.3 Other Production Methods (Oxalic-acid Route, Fermentation/Bio-based Route)
5.3 By End-use Industry
5.3.1 Agriculture
5.3.2 Leather and Footwear
5.3.3 Textile
5.3.4 Chemicals and Solvents
5.3.5 Pharmaceuticals
5.3.6 Rubber
5.3.7 Others End User Industries (Oil and Gas, Food and Beverage, etc.)
5.4 By Geography
5.4.1 Asia-Pacific
5.4.1.1 China
5.4.1.2 India
5.4.1.3 Japan
5.4.1.4 South Korea
5.4.1.5 Rest of Asia-Pacific
5.4.2 North America
5.4.2.1 United States
5.4.2.2 Canada
5.4.2.3 Mexico
5.4.3 Europe
5.4.3.1 Germany
5.4.3.2 United Kingdom
5.4.3.3 France
5.4.3.4 Italy
5.4.3.5 Rest of Europe
5.4.4 South America
5.4.4.1 Brazil
5.4.4.2 Argentina
5.4.4.3 Rest of South America
5.4.5 Middle East and Africa
5.4.5.1 Saudi Arabia
5.4.5.2 South Africa
5.4.5.3 Rest of Middle-East and Africa
6 Competitive Landscape
6.1 Market Concentration
6.2 Strategic Moves
6.3 Market Share (%)/Ranking Analysis
6.4 Company Profiles (includes Global level Overview, Market level overview, Core Segments, Financials as available, Strategic Information, Market Rank/Share for key companies, Products and Services, and Recent Developments)
6.4.1 BASF
6.4.2 Eastman Chemical Company
6.4.3 Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd
6.4.4 Luxi Chemical Group Co.,Ltd.
6.4.5 Perstorp
6.4.6 POLIOLI SpA
6.4.7 Sintas Kurama Perdana
6.4.8 Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd
6.4.9 Shandong Acid Technology Co., Ltd.
6.4.10 Shandong Rongyue Chemical Co. Ltd
6.4.11 Wuhan Ruisunny Chemical Co. Ltd
7 Market Opportunities and Future Outlook
7.1 White-space and Unmet-need Assessment
7.2 Sustainable Use of Formic Acid in Fuel Cell
- Not Sure / Need Reassuring
- Confirm Content
-
Content is provided by our partners and every effort is made to make Market Report details as clear as possible. If you are not sure the exact content you require is included in this study you can Contact us to double check. To do this you can:
Use the ‘? ASK A QUESTION’ below the license / prices and to the right of this box. This will come directly to our team who will work on dealing with your request as soon as possible.
Write to directly on support@scotts-international.com with details. Please include as much information as possible including the name of report or link so our staff will be able to work on you request.
Telephone us directly on 0048 603 394 346 and an experienced member of team will be on hand to answer.
-
- Sample Pages
-
With the vast majority of our partners we can obtain Sample Pages to support your decision. This is something we can arrange without revealing your personal details.
It is important to note that we will not be able to provide you the exact data or statistics such as Market Size and Forecasts. Sample pages usually confirm the layout or the Categories included in Charts and Graphs, excluding specific data.
To ask for Sample Pages by contact us through ‘? ASK A QUESTION’, support@scotts-international.com, or by telephoning 0048 603 394 346.
-
- Check for Alternatives
-
Whilst we try to make our online platform as easy to use as possible there is always the possibility that a better alternative has not been found in your search.
To avoid this possibility Contact us through ‘? ASK A QUESTION’, support@scotts-international.com, or by telephoning 0048 603 394 346 and a Senior Team Member can review your requirements and send a list of possibilities with opinions and recommendations.
-
- Confirm Content
- Prices / Formats / Delivery
- Prices
-
All prices are set by our partners and should be exactly the same as those listed on their own websites. We work on a Revenue share basis ensuring that you never pay more than what is offered elsewhere.
Should you find the price cheaper on another platform we recommend you to Contact us as we should be able to match this price. You can Contact us though through ‘? ASK A QUESTION’, support@scotts-international.com, or by telephoning 0048 603 394 346.
-
- Discounts
-
As we work in close partnership with our Partners from time to time we can secure discounts and assist with negotiations, this is part of our personalised service to you.
Discounts can sometimes be arranged for speedily placed orders; multiple report purchases or Higher License purchases.
To check if a Discount is possible please Contact our experienced team through ‘? ASK A QUESTION’, support@scotts-international.com, or by telephoning 0048 603 394 346.
-
- Available Currencies
-
Most Market Reports on our platform are listed in USD or EURO based on the wishes of our Partners. To avoid currency fluctuations and potential price differentiations we do not offer the possibility to change the currency online.
Should you wish to pay in a different currency to that advertised online we do accept payments in USD, EURO, GBP and PLN. The price will be calculated based on the relevant exchange rate taken from our National Bank.
To pay in a different above currency to that advertised online please Contact our team and a quotation will be sent within a couple of hours with payment details.
-
- Licenses
-
License options vary from Partner to Partner as is usually based on the number of Users that will benefitting from the report. It is very important that License ordered is not breached as this could have potential negative consequences for you individually or your employer.
If you have questions or need confirmation about the specific license we recommend you to Contact us and a detailed explanation will be provided.
-
- Global Site License
-
The Global Site License is the most comprehensive license available. By selecting this license, the Market Report can be shared with other ‘Allowed Users’ and any other member of staff from the same organisation regardless of geographic location.
It is important to note that this may exclude Parent Companies or Subsidiaries.
If you have questions or need confirmation about the specific license we recommend you to Contact us and a detailed explanation will be provided.
-
- Formats
-
The most common format is PDF, however in certain circumstances data may be present in Excel format or Online, especially in the case of Database or Directories. In addition, for certain higher license options a CD may also be provided.
If you have questions or need clarification about the specific formats we recommend you to Contact us and a detailed explanation will be provided.
-
- Delivery
-
Delivery is fulfilled by our partners directly. Once an order has been placed we inform the partner by sharing the delivery email details given in the order process.
Delivery is usually made within 24 hours of an order being placed, however it may take longer should your order be placed prior to the weekend or if otherwise specified on the Market Report details page. Additionally, if details have been not fully completed in the Order process a delay in delivery is possible.
If a delay in delivery is expected you will be informed about it immediately.
-
- Shipping Charges
-
As most Market Reports are delivered in PDF format we almost never have to add additional Shipping Charges. If, however you are ordering a Higher License service or a specific delivery format (e.g. CD version) charges may apply.
If you are concerned about additional Shipping Charges we recommend you to Contact us to double check.
-
- Prices
- Ordering
- By Credit Card
-
We work in Partnership with PayU to ensure payments are made securely in a fast and effortless way. PayU is the e-payments division of Naspers.
Naspers operates in over 133 International Markets and ranks 3rd Globally in terms of the number of e-commerce customers served.
For more information on PayU please visit: https://www.payu.pl/en/about-us
-
- By Money Transfer
-
If you require an invoice prior to payment, this is possible. To ensure a speedy delivery of the Market Report we require all relevant company details and you agree to maximum payment terms of 30 days from receipt of order.
With our regular clients deliver of the Market Report can be made prior to receiving payment, however in some circumstances we may ask for payment to be received before arranging for the Market Report to be delivered.
-
- By Credit Card
- Security
- Website security
-
We have specifically partnered with leading International companies to protect your privacy by using different technologies and processes to ensure security.
Everything submitted to Scotts International is encrypted via SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and all personal information provided to Scotts International is stored on computer systems with limited access in controlled environments.
-
- Credit Card Security
-
We partner with PayU (https://www.payu.pl/en/about-us) to ensure all credit card payments are made securely in a fast and effortless way.
PayU offers 250+ various payment channels and eWallet services across 4 continents allowing buyers to pay electronically, whether on a computer or a mobile device.
-
- Website security