International Dynamics of Dicyandiamide (April 2026)

As of April 2026, international developments related to dicyandiamide (DCD) mainly focus on the global trade pattern, high-end product upgrading and green transformation, regional market demand, and historical relevant incidents. Overall, the industry is characterized by concentrated supply, upgraded demand, and intensified green competition, as detailed below.

In terms of global trade and supply structure, the global supply of dicyandiamide is highly concentrated. A certain region in Asia, with its strong industrial foundation, holds an absolutely dominant position worldwide. The core production area in this region accounts for more than 50% of global capacity, with an annual output of 90,000 tons and a global market share exceeding 85%. Its total cyanamide-based product capacity represents over 80% of the global total, making it the world’s core production and supply base for dicyandiamide.

According to 2024 global export data, total worldwide exports of dicyandiamide reached approximately 84,000 tons, with a value of USD 182 million. The dominant region exported 75,000 tons, accounting for 89% of global exports, ranking first worldwide. Germany and South Korea followed, exporting 7,700 tons and a small share respectively, together representing around 10% of global exports.

In terms of import demand, many regions rely heavily on dicyandiamide from the dominant region. Mexico, with strong pesticide demand in agriculture and insufficient domestic capacity, imported 1,071.8 tons of dicyandiamide from this region in 2023, accounting for 1.5% of its total imports. In addition, Southeast Asia, South America, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union are major importing regions, with demand covering various downstream sectors.

The upgrading to high-end products and green low-carbon transformation have become core trends in the dicyandiamide industry in recent years, and this trend became more pronounced from 2025 to 2026. In the high-end product sector, electronic-grade dicyandiamide has grown rapidly. Such products require a purity of at least 99.9% and are mainly used in electronics fields including printed circuit boards (PCBs), semiconductor packaging, and copper-clad laminates.

At present, its market demand is growing at an annual rate of 12.7%, and its share in total dicyandiamide demand has risen to 21%. In the first three quarters of 2025 alone, global exports of electronic-grade dicyandiamide increased by 67% year-on-year, showing significant market potential.

Regarding green transformation, driven by environmental policies such as the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the global dicyandiamide industry has accelerated low-carbon production. The main production regions now have a green power self-sufficiency rate of over 40%. Meanwhile, ten-thousand-ton continuous-flow production technology has been widely adopted, reducing energy consumption by 51.3% and water consumption by 76.8% during production, with product purity stably maintained at 99.91%–99.96%.

With excellent environmental performance and product quality, it has successfully entered high-end supply chains in Japan and South Korea. In addition, intelligent manufacturing technologies have been gradually promoted. Through digital twin crystallization control, the particle size standard deviation of dicyandiamide can be controlled within ±3.2 μm, and the first-pass yield reaches 99.6%, greatly improving production efficiency and product stability.

From the perspective of the global market in early 2026, the dicyandiamide industry shows a slight adjustment in scale and weak prices. In 2024, global consumption of dicyandiamide was 88,000 tons, down 13.1% year-on-year, with a market size of USD 231 million, down 13.5% year-on-year. However, in the long run, the industry maintains a positive outlook.

From 2024 to 2030, global dicyandiamide consumption is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8%, and the market size at a CAGR of 6.3%. In terms of price, the FOB price of dicyandiamide from the core global supply region was approximately USD 1,448 per ton in the first quarter of 2026. Affected by high inventories, prices remain under pressure.

In the downstream demand structure, flame retardants account for the largest share at 38%, followed by electronic chemicals at 21%. Pharmaceutical intermediates, pesticides, water treatment, and other fields are also important application areas with relatively stable demand.

Regional dicyandiamide markets show differentiated development. The Asia-Pacific region, as the core global supply and demand hub, leads the world in demand growth, mainly driven by rising demand in high-end sectors such as electronics and pharmaceuticals. North America and the European Union impose strict environmental regulations and flame retardant standards, resulting in higher quality requirements and a preference for high-grade and pharmaceutical-grade products.

With shrinking domestic capacity, their dependence on imports continues to rise. Japan focuses on developing high-end specialty dicyandiamide products, forming a differentiated competitive landscape with major global supply regions and targeting high value-added sectors.

In the international development history of dicyandiamide, a food safety incident in New Zealand in 2013 is noteworthy. At that time, trace amounts of dicyandiamide were detected in some milk powder products in New Zealand, originating from nitrification inhibitors used in pasture nitrogen fertilizers. Following the incident, the local government encouraged voluntary suspension of related applications, and fertilizer companies recalled affected products.

Although the incident did not cause actual food safety problems, it impacted New Zealand’s international dairy trade. It should be noted that dicyandiamide is less toxic than table salt, and no unified global safety standard for dicyandiamide has yet been established.

Looking ahead to 2026, the international development of dicyandiamide will present four key trends:First, global supply concentration will further increase, with the core supply region’s market share expected to approach 90%.Second, electronic-grade dicyandiamide will become the main growth driver of the industry. Boosted by demand from semiconductors, new energy, and other fields, its price and profit levels will be significantly higher than ordinary industrial-grade products.Third, green competitiveness will become the core advantage in high-end markets. Low-carbon production, green power usage, and carbon footprint management will become entry requirements for high-end dicyandiamide markets.Fourth, trade risks require continued attention. Factors such as U.S. tariff policies and the EU CBAM will continue to affect export costs and trade patterns of dicyandiamide worldwide.