China's oxalic acid market sent mixed signals in August 2026. Some supplier quotations remained near recent lows in early August, while selected producer and supplier offers became noticeably firmer toward the end of the month.
Based on Sinoright's internal inquiry records for comparable oxalic acid specifications, our reference price increased from approximately RMB 2,936 per metric ton on August 4 to RMB 3,358 per metric ton on August 31 - an increase of about 14.4%.
The movement, however, was not uniform across China. Public price platforms continued to show substantial differences between suppliers, grades, regions and quotation terms. For international buyers, the important question is therefore not whether a single price index moved up, but whether comparable export offers are becoming firmer and how that may affect the timing of their next purchase.
Buyers looking for technical specifications, packaging and supply information can review Sinoright's industrial-grade oxalic acid.
What Happened to China's Oxalic Acid Prices in August 2026?
The clearest description of the August market is not a nationwide, continuous price increase. Instead, the month showed three overlapping signals:
- Some supplier offers reached relatively low levels in early August.
- Publicly listed prices remained highly dispersed during the month.
- Selected comparable offers became firmer in late August.
Sinoright's internal records show the following movement for the same oxalic acid specification:
|
Date |
Sinoright Reference Price |
Market Signal |
|
August 4, 2026 |
Approximately RMB 2,936/MT |
Early-month low |
|
August 11, 2026 |
Approximately RMB 2,956/MT |
Broadly stable |
|
August 24, 2026 |
Approximately RMB 3,049/MT |
Initial firming |
|
August 31, 2026 |
Approximately RMB 3,358/MT |
Clear late-month increase |
From August 4 to August 31, the reference price increased by approximately 14.4%. Between August 24 and August 31, quotations from the same supplier increased by about 10.1%, providing a stronger like-for-like indication of late-month firmness.
These figures are Sinoright commercial reference prices derived from internal supplier inquiries for comparable specifications. They should be read as an indicator of the offers available to Sinoright during the period, rather than as a national market index or a binding export quotation. Freight, insurance, packaging, order quantity, payment terms and destination-specific costs are not included.
Why Do Published Oxalic Acid Prices Differ So Widely?
Oxalic acid buyers often find very different prices online for what appears to be the same product. However, many of those figures are not directly comparable.
For example, ChemicalBook's quotations for August 11 included offers below RMB 2,500 per metric ton as well as prices above RMB 4,000 per metric ton. The page combined different suppliers, locations, concentrations, grades and packaging conditions.
Several factors can create this price gap.
Product form and specification
Industrial buyers must distinguish between oxalic acid dihydrate and anhydrous oxalic acid. Assay, impurity limits and the applicable technical standard may also affect the quotation.
A price for a lower concentration or a different grade should not be compared directly with a quotation for industrial-grade oxalic acid dihydrate meeting a defined specification.
Packaging
A 25 kg bag, 50 kg bag, jumbo bag and small repacked quantity carry different packaging and handling costs. Laboratory or small-volume material can appear particularly expensive when converted into a per-ton figure.
Supplier and quotation type
A producer's listed ex-works price, a distributor's warehouse price and an exporter's commercial quotation represent different stages of the supply chain. A publicly listed price may also be an indicative marketing price rather than the price available for a confirmed order.
Delivery and trade terms
EXW, FOB and CIF prices should never be treated as equivalent. Inland transport, dangerous-goods handling where applicable, port charges, ocean freight, insurance and documentation can materially change the final landed cost.
Order conditions
Quantity, payment method, shipment date and quotation validity all affect the final offer. A quotation for one container may differ from a small trial order or a long-term contract.
Consequently, a low online quote does not automatically represent the price available for a comparable export shipment.
Why Did Some Oxalic Acid Quotes Firm in Late August?
The available evidence suggests that the late-August movement was probably the result of several factors rather than a single nationwide shortage.
Low-price offers had less room to fall
Sinoright's inquiry records show that selected offers had already moved down substantially before reaching their early-August level. Once quotations approached that range, some suppliers may have become less willing to accept further reductions.
Lower prices may also have encouraged short-term replenishment among buyers who had previously purchased only for immediate production needs. Open-market data, however, are not detailed enough to confirm a uniform recovery across all downstream industries. Replenishment should therefore be treated as a possible supporting factor rather than a confirmed market-wide cause.
Some producers raised listed quotations
A publicly compiled record of Hualu Hengsheng's listed ex-works prices reported that refined oxalic acid increased from RMB 3,400 to RMB 4,000 per metric ton between July 24 and late August. Industrial oxalic acid reportedly increased from RMB 3,000 to RMB 3,300 per metric ton during the same period.
The published quotation summary explicitly notes that these were listed outbound prices rather than confirmed long-term transaction prices. Nevertheless, the direction is consistent with the firmer supplier quotations recorded by Sinoright toward the end of August.
The evidence is sufficient to show that certain producers were testing higher price levels. Whether those increases were accepted across China's wider transaction market remains less certain.
Price differentiation remained significant
ChemicalBook's oxalic acid price trend page did not show a smooth, uninterrupted rise throughout August. Its published period averages fluctuated during the month, reinforcing the conclusion that the market remained divided.
SunSirs also reported a China oxalic acid spot reference of RMB 3,733.33 per metric ton at the end of August. This was higher than some supplier offers recorded elsewhere, illustrating why buyers should examine the methodology and commercial conditions behind each number rather than relying on one figure alone.
Was the Late-August Increase Caused by a Supply Shortage?
Available evidence falls short of showing a nationwide oxalic acid shortage in August.
China continues to have a substantial production base, and additional capacity has been entering the market. In its 2026 first-quarter disclosure, Inner Mongolia Jinmei Chemical Technology stated that an expansion project designed to add approximately 100,000 metric tons of annual oxalic acid capacity had completed construction and entered trial operation.
The company disclosure suggests that China's supply capacity was not structurally contracting during this period.
Availability may still tighten temporarily for a particular producer, region, grade or delivery schedule. At the national level, however, the evidence is more consistent with selective quotation adjustments and short-term changes in purchasing activity than with a broad physical shortage.
What Do Producer Data Tell Us About the Broader 2026 Market?
Producer operating data provide useful background, although quarterly figures cannot isolate the conditions of a particular week in August.
According to Jinmei Chemical Technology's 2026 second-quarter operating disclosure, the company sold 40,600 metric tons of oxalic acid during the quarter. Its average oxalic acid selling price reached RMB 3,693.36 per metric ton, 18.55% higher than in the first quarter.
These results indicate that producer-level sales volume and average pricing had improved before August. They provide broader context for the firmer quotations observed later in the summer. What the quarterly figures cannot isolate is whether demand from individual downstream sectors increased specifically during August.
The same disclosure also shows mixed raw-material movements. The company's average lignite purchase price declined by 1.28% quarter over quarter, while its high-calorific-value coal purchase price increased by 7.59%. Meanwhile, its oxalic acid average selling price increased by 18.55%.
This suggests that the change in oxalic acid pricing cannot be explained by one raw-material cost movement alone. Product-level supply, purchasing activity and producer quotation strategies also need to be considered.
Will China's Oxalic Acid Prices Continue to Rise?
The late-August increase deserves attention, but it is too early to treat it as confirmation of a sustained nationwide uptrend.
For buyers with confirmed requirements in the near term, the practical approach is to request an updated like-for-like quotation now rather than waiting for every market indicator to confirm the same direction. Buyers may consider securing their immediate requirements when the price and shipment terms meet their targets, while keeping longer-term volume commitments flexible until September quotations and actual transactions reveal whether the late-August firmness can be sustained.
Three possible scenarios should be monitored.
Scenario 1: Firmer quotations continue
Prices may remain firm if producer increases are accepted in actual transactions, low-priced material becomes less available and downstream buyers continue replenishing.
Evidence of this scenario would include repeated comparable quotations at higher levels rather than isolated listed-price increases.
Scenario 2: Prices stabilize after the rebound
The market may stabilize if buyers resist higher offers, purchase only for immediate requirements and additional production capacity continues to supply the market.
Under this scenario, late-August increases would represent a correction from earlier lows rather than the beginning of a long upward cycle.
Scenario 3: Price differentiation increases
Different producers, regions and grades may continue moving at different speeds. Domestic supplier quotations may also diverge from final export costs if inland transport and ocean freight change.
This is a particularly important scenario for international buyers. Even if a Chinese domestic price indicator remains stable, the FOB or CIF cost may change because of logistics, packaging or shipment conditions.
For further background, readers can compare this update with our earlier analysis of why China's oxalic acid prices remained volatile in May 2026.
What Should International Buyers Check Before Comparing Quotes?
Before deciding whether an offer is competitive, buyers should confirm that all suppliers are quoting on the same basis.
The comparison should include:
- Product form: dihydrate or anhydrous
- Required grade and minimum assay
- Applicable specification or standard
- Packaging type
- Order quantity
- EXW, FOB or CIF term
- Loading port and destination port
- Required shipment date
- COA and documentation requirements
- Payment terms
- Quotation validity
This information allows the supplier to check current availability and calculate a commercially meaningful price.
Without a confirmed specification, quantity and delivery term, a quoted price should be treated as an initial indication - not as the final cost of an export order.
Key Takeaway for Oxalic Acid Buyers
China's oxalic acid market showed signs of late-month price firmness in August 2026. Sinoright's comparable internal inquiry records indicated an increase from approximately RMB 2,936 per metric ton in early August to RMB 3,358 per metric ton by the end of the month.
Public indicators did not move in complete alignment, however. Differences between suppliers, product specifications and quotation terms remained significant. With additional Chinese oxalic acid capacity also entering operation, the current evidence is better interpreted as selective price recovery than as a nationwide shortage.
International buyers should therefore compare like-for-like offers and monitor whether the late-August increases are confirmed by September quotations and actual transactions.
To receive an updated oxalic acid quotation, send Sinoright your required specification, quantity, packaging, destination port and expected purchase date. Our team will compare the latest available supply options and provide an FOB or CIF quotation based on your actual requirement.
Request an Updated Oxalic Acid Quote
About the Author
Peter Tang is a Senior Sales Manager and Market Analyst at Sinoright. He tracks supplier quotations, market movements and purchasing conditions for chemicals including melamine, phthalic anhydride and oxalic acid, and provides market information to international buyers, traders and downstream manufacturers.