Global Omega-3 Trade Falls 81% from Peak: February Freeze Exposes Pricing and Liquidity Risks

Global omega-3 trade underwent a sharp reversal between March 2025 and February 2026, moving from strong early-period shipments to a severe contraction at the end of the reporting cycle.

During the 12-month period, recorded trade reached:

• 10.77 million kg
• 22.77 million reported units
• USD 100.32 million in transaction value
• 8,296 individual trades
• Weighted average price of USD 9.3161/kg
• Average value of USD 4.4061 per reported unit

Physical trade weight reached its highest level in March 2025 at 1.51 million kg, before falling to only 281,433 kg in February 2026. This represented an 81.3% peak-to-trough contraction.

The decline was even more pronounced in other indicators. Reported quantity fell 91.8% from its September peak, while monthly transaction value dropped 91.5% from the March high. Trade count also contracted from 1,024 transactions in December 2025 to only 224 in February 2026.

At the same time, prices moved through several distinct phases. The average price per kilogram climbed from USD 7.88 in March 2025 to a high of USD 20.16 in January 2026, before collapsing to USD 3.57/kg in February.

For buyers, suppliers and ingredient distributors, the data shows that omega-3 market conditions cannot be assessed through annual averages alone. Physical availability, grade mix, package structure, transaction liquidity and purchasing timing all had a major effect on realized prices.

Key Market Findings

Physical trade weight declined by 81.3%. Monthly volume fell from 1.51 million kg in March 2025 to 281,433 kg in February 2026.

Reported quantity declined by 91.8%. Quantity peaked at 3.45 million units in September 2025 before falling to 281,548 units in February 2026.

March 2025 led both physical volume and transaction value. The month recorded 1.51 million kg and USD 11.89 million in value.

December 2025 recorded the most transactions. Trade count reached 1,024 even though physical weight remained relatively low, showing that the market had shifted toward smaller and more fragmented orders.

January 2026 recorded the highest price per kilogram. The monthly average reached USD 20.16/kg despite physical weight of only 405,059 kg.

February 2026 marked a broad market freeze. Weight, quantity, value and trade count all reached their lowest levels, while the price per kilogram fell 82.3% month on month.

High physical volume generally placed pressure on prices. The relationship between weight and price per kilogram was approximately -0.56.

Transaction count and physical weight were almost unrelated. More trades did not necessarily mean more tonnage, reflecting substantial differences in order size and product mix.

Global Omega-3 Trade Overview

Omega-3 ingredients are used across several major markets, including:

• Dietary supplements
• Functional foods and beverages
• Infant nutrition
• Pharmaceutical formulations
• Clinical nutrition
• Animal nutrition
• Pet food
• Cosmetics and personal care
• Fortified dairy products
• Specialized health products

The omega-3 category includes products with major differences in source, concentration, format and quality requirements.

Commercial prices may vary according to:

• Fish oil, algal oil or other source material
• EPA and DHA concentration
• Triglyceride or ethyl ester form
• Crude, refined or highly concentrated material
• Oxidation and stability specifications
• Heavy-metal and contaminant limits
• Pharmaceutical, food or feed grade
• Sustainability certification
• Encapsulated, powdered or liquid format
• Package size
• Origin and destination
• Freight and cold-chain requirements

These differences help explain why monthly prices changed much more sharply than physical volume alone would suggest.

Overall Trade Performance

The market averaged approximately:

• 897,342 kg per month
• 1.90 million reported units per month
• USD 8.36 million in monthly transaction value
• 691 trades per month

However, the monthly results were highly uneven. February 2026 fell substantially below every annual average, while several late-2025 months generated unusually high prices from a much smaller physical trade base.

Monthly Omega-3 Trade Data

Monthly Weight, Quantity and Transaction Value

Monthly Prices and Trade Activity

Physical Trade Flow: From Early Strength to an 81% Contraction

March Opened the Period at Maximum Physical Volume

March 2025 recorded 1.51 million kg of omega-3 trade, the highest monthly weight in the dataset.

The month contributed:

• 14.00% of total annual weight
• USD 11.89 million in transaction value
• 605 recorded trades
• Average price of USD 7.88/kg

March also generated the highest monthly transaction value.

The average weight per trade reached approximately 2,492 kg, the largest monthly transaction size in the reporting period.

The combination of maximum tonnage, maximum value and large average orders suggests that March was dominated by substantial commercial replenishment rather than fragmented small-volume demand.

For buyers, the month provided relatively strong physical availability at a price below the annual weighted average.

April Combined High Availability with the Lowest Early-Period Price

Physical weight declined 12.0% in April but remained high at 1.33 million kg.

Reported quantity increased 84.6% to 2.92 million units, while the price per kilogram fell to USD 5.32.

April therefore offered one of the clearest procurement opportunities in the dataset:

• Physical weight remained 47.9% above the monthly average
• Reported quantity was the second-highest of the period
• Price per kilogram was 42.9% below the annual weighted average
• Trade participation remained broad
• Average transaction size remained above 2,200 kg

The decline in transaction value from USD 11.89 million to USD 7.05 million was caused primarily by lower realized prices and changes in the trade basket rather than a collapse in physical activity.

For procurement teams seeking commercial volume, April offered a more attractive price-volume combination than most later months.

May Recovered in Both Volume and Market Value

May physical weight increased 9.3% to 1.45 million kg, the second-highest monthly total.

Transaction value recovered 51.1% to USD 10.66 million, while trade count rose to 674.

The average price also recovered to USD 7.35/kg but remained below the annual weighted average.

May therefore represented another favorable procurement window:

• Near-record physical availability
• Strong transaction value
• Moderate pricing
• Larger average transaction sizes
• Broad supplier and buyer participation

Together, March, April and May accounted for approximately 39.8% of total annual physical weight.

This concentration shows that much of the year’s supply entered the market during the first three months of the reporting period.

June to September: Falling Weight but Increasing Market Complexity

June Continued the Physical Decline

June weight fell 19.2% to 1.17 million kg.

Reported quantity and transaction value also declined, while trade count dropped to 529.

The average price remained relatively stable at USD 7.27/kg.

Although the market was weakening, physical weight was still above the annual monthly average. Buyers continued to have access to meaningful volume without facing the high prices seen later in the year.

July Reported More Units but Less Physical Weight

July weight declined 16.5% to 978,597 kg, while reported quantity increased 74.8% to 2.65 million units.

The divergence indicates a major change in transaction or package structure.

The ratio of weight to reported quantity fell from approximately 0.77 kg per unit in June to 0.37 kg per unit in July.

Possible explanations include:

• Smaller average packages
• More concentrated shipment fragmentation
• A larger share of capsules, powders or finished-format material
• Changes in product concentration
• Different customs-reporting units
• A shift toward smaller commercial customers

The price per kilogram rose to USD 8.50, but the value per reported unit declined to USD 3.14.

This demonstrates why omega-3 offers should not be compared using package count alone.

August Shifted Toward Higher-Value Trade

Physical weight declined another 13.3% in August to 848,430 kg.

Reported quantity fell sharply to 887,703 units, but transaction value increased 14.5% to USD 9.53 million.

The average price rose to:

• USD 11.23/kg
• USD 10.73 per reported unit

August recorded the highest value per reported unit of the entire period.

This combination suggests a shift toward higher-value material, larger physical units or more specialized grades.

The increase in trade count to 809 shows that the higher price environment was not limited to only a few transactions. Market participation expanded even as physical volume declined.

September Recorded the Highest Reported Quantity

September physical weight declined modestly to 791,543 kg, but reported quantity surged 288.2% to 3.45 million units.

This was the highest quantity of the year.

Trade count increased to 953, while transaction value rose to USD 10.78 million.

The average price per kilogram reached USD 13.62, substantially above the annual weighted average.

However, the weight-to-quantity ratio dropped to only 0.23 kg per reported unit.

The data indicates that September was not a conventional bulk-volume surge. Instead, it was dominated by a much larger number of reported units representing relatively limited physical weight.

For suppliers, September may have offered opportunities in smaller packages, higher-specification material or fragmented distribution channels.

For buyers, the month required closer comparison of concentration, package size and physical net weight.

October Rebound Failed to Reverse the Longer-Term Decline

October physical weight increased 47.3% to 1.17 million kg, the only major rebound after the summer decline.

Reported quantity remained high at 3.06 million units, while transaction value reached USD 10.55 million.

The price per kilogram declined from USD 13.62 in September to USD 9.05, moving close to the annual weighted average.

October therefore combined:

• Physical weight above the monthly average
• High reported quantity
• Strong transaction value
• Broad transaction participation
• A substantial correction in price

For buyers, October provided another meaningful procurement window after several months of rising prices.

However, the rebound was temporary. Physical market activity contracted sharply in November.

November to January: Low Physical Volume and High Prices

November Weight Fell by 66%

November physical weight dropped 66.4% month on month to only 391,478 kg.

Transaction value declined more moderately to USD 6.82 million because the price per kilogram surged to USD 17.43.

The month recorded:

• Only 3.64% of annual weight
• 691 trades
• Average transaction weight of approximately 567 kg
• Price per kilogram nearly twice the annual weighted average

The low average transaction weight indicates that market activity shifted away from bulk orders toward smaller shipments.

November’s higher price may reflect:

• Tighter availability of qualified grades
• Greater concentration of premium products
• Smaller order sizes
• Higher handling and packaging costs
• More selective buyer participation
• Changes in destination or delivery requirements

For buyers, November-type conditions present a risk of paying substantially higher prices for smaller shipments.

December Recorded the Highest Number of Transactions

Physical weight recovered slightly to 449,473 kg in December, but reported quantity continued to decline.

Trade count increased 48.2% to 1,024, the annual high.

Despite the increase in transactions, average weight per trade fell to only 439 kg, the lowest monthly level.

This means that December had the broadest transaction participation but one of the smallest average order sizes.

The market became more fragmented:

• More trades were completed
• Less physical material moved through each trade
• Price remained high at USD 15.63/kg
• Average value per trade fell to approximately USD 6,859

For distributors and suppliers serving smaller customers, this type of market may create more sales opportunities.

For large-volume buyers, however, high transaction frequency does not guarantee easy access to bulk supply.

January Reached the Highest Price per Kilogram

January 2026 physical weight declined to 405,059 kg.

Transaction value increased 16.3% to USD 8.17 million, supported by a price increase to USD 20.16/kg, the highest monthly level in the dataset.

The January price was:

• 116.4% above the annual weighted average
• 28.9% above the December level
• 156% above the March 2025 price

The price increase occurred despite trade count falling from 1,024 to 733.

This indicates that the market was sustaining high value through a narrower and lower-volume channel.

The January average may have been influenced by a higher share of concentrated, pharmaceutical, algal, specialty or otherwise premium material.

It should not automatically be interpreted as a universal benchmark for every omega-3 grade.

February 2026: Volume, Value and Liquidity Collapsed Together

February was the weakest month across all major trade indicators.

Compared with January:

• Physical weight declined 30.5%
• Reported quantity declined 74.5%
• Transaction value declined 87.7%
• Trade count declined 69.4%
• Price per kilogram declined 82.3%

Monthly results fell to:

• 281,433 kg
• 281,548 reported units
• USD 1.01 million in value
• 224 trades
• USD 3.57/kg

Physical weight was 81.3% below the March peak, while transaction value was 91.5% below its high.

The February pattern differs from a conventional supply shortage.

In a supply-driven squeeze, lower volume would normally be accompanied by firmer prices. February instead recorded simultaneous declines in volume, value, trades and price.

This suggests a broader market freeze involving weaker purchasing activity, inventory reduction, a major change in product mix or a reporting-period distortion.

The February price should therefore be treated cautiously. With only 224 recorded trades, the monthly average may be less representative of the broader omega-3 market than prices formed during more liquid periods.

For buyers, the low headline price may create selective opportunities, but execution risk was substantially higher.

Potential concerns included:

• Limited product selection
• Fewer qualified suppliers
• Reduced market transparency
• Smaller number of comparable quotations
• Greater concentration in lower-priced grades
• Higher counterparty dependence
• Uncertain replacement availability

Weight Concentration by Month

The five largest months accounted for approximately 61.5% of total physical weight.

By comparison, November, December, January and February together represented only 14.2%.

The distribution confirms that physical omega-3 trade was heavily concentrated in the March–October period before entering a much smaller late-year market.

Quantity and Package-Structure Changes

Reported quantity did not follow physical weight closely.

The relationship between weight and quantity was only approximately 0.41.

The weight represented by each reported unit ranged from:

• 0.19 kg per unit in November 2025
• 0.23 kg per unit in September
• 0.95 kg per unit in March
• 0.96 kg per unit in August
• 1.00 kg per unit in February 2026

The wide range demonstrates that a reported unit did not represent a consistent physical package throughout the year.

Changes may have been influenced by:

• Package size
• Product concentration
• Finished versus intermediate product
• Powder, liquid, capsule or encapsulated format
• Bulk versus retail-oriented shipments
• Different reporting conventions
• Grade and source differences
• Consolidation of commercial lots

For procurement comparisons, reported unit count should always be evaluated together with net kilograms and specification.

A reliable quotation comparison should include:

• Price per kilogram
• EPA and DHA content
• Total omega-3 concentration
• Product source
• Chemical form
• Oxidation limits
• Package size
• Net weight
• Shelf life
• Storage conditions
• Certification
• Incoterm
• Freight
• Payment terms

Transaction Value: Dollars Did Not Follow Tons Directly

Monthly transaction value ranged from:

• High: USD 11.89 million in March 2025
• Low: USD 1.01 million in February 2026

Physical weight and transaction value had a positive relationship of approximately 0.67.

Greater tonnage generally supported higher market value, but product mix and pricing also had a significant influence.

March Combined Maximum Weight and Value

March accounted for:

• 14.00% of annual weight
• 11.85% of annual value

The month’s value share was lower than its physical share because its average price remained below the annual weighted average.

September Generated High Value from Lower Weight

September represented only 7.35% of physical weight but generated 10.75% of transaction value.

The difference resulted from the higher average price of USD 13.62/kg.

January Generated 8.14% of Value from 3.76% of Weight

January’s disproportionate value contribution reflected the record USD 20.16/kg average.

This shows that suppliers can generate substantial value without leading the market in tonnage when the trade basket shifts toward higher-priced material.

February Lost Both Volume and Pricing Support

February represented:

• 2.61% of annual weight
• 1.24% of annual quantity
• 1.00% of annual value
• 2.70% of annual trades

Unlike November and January, its low physical volume was not offset by stronger prices.

Pricing Analysis: A 5.6x Gap Between Monthly High and Low

The monthly price per kilogram ranged from USD 3.5741 to USD 20.1578.

The January high was approximately 5.6 times the February low.

Buyer-Friendly Price Periods

Months with prices below the annual weighted average of USD 9.3161/kg included:

April provided the strongest combination of high physical availability and low price.

February recorded the lowest price, but its limited liquidity and severe decline in market activity reduced its practical attractiveness.

Premium-Price Periods

The highest monthly prices occurred in:

These months were generally characterized by lower physical weight or a higher-value transaction mix.

Physical Supply and Price Were Inversely Related

The relationship between physical weight and price per kilogram was approximately -0.56.

This indicates that greater physical availability generally reduced average prices, while lower-weight months tended to support stronger pricing.

However, the relationship was not absolute.

February 2026 combined the lowest weight with the lowest price, showing that demand deterioration or product-mix changes can overwhelm the normal supply-price relationship.

Liquidity and Transaction Structure

Trade count ranged from:

• 1,024 trades in December 2025
• 224 trades in February 2026

However, trade count had almost no direct relationship with physical weight.

This is one of the most important findings in the dataset.

December completed the most transactions but moved only 449,473 kg. March completed 605 trades but moved more than three times as much physical material.

Average weight per trade declined from:

• 2,492 kg in March
• 1,049 kg in August
• 831 kg in September
• 567 kg in November
• 439 kg in December

The market therefore became increasingly fragmented during the second half of 2025.

This may indicate:

• Smaller buyer orders
• More specialized products
• Greater use of distributors
• Reduced willingness to hold inventory
• Higher-value but lower-volume grades
• More cautious purchasing behavior

February reversed part of this pattern. Average weight per trade rose to approximately 1,256 kg, but the number of trades collapsed.

This suggests that many smaller transactions disappeared, leaving a narrower group of remaining orders.

Market Volatility Profile

Physical weight, quantity and prices all showed substantial volatility.

Transaction value was somewhat more stable because price increases occasionally offset lower physical volumes.

Trade count had the lowest relative volatility, but the February collapse demonstrates that liquidity can still disappear rapidly.

What the Data Relationships Mean Commercially

The market cannot be understood by tracking only one indicator.

A high trade count may reflect fragmented orders rather than abundant supply. A high price may indicate premium product mix rather than a broad shortage. A low price may appear during either strong availability or weak demand.

Main Risks for Omega-3 Buyers and Suppliers

1. Supply Availability Risk

The 81.3% decline in physical weight shows that market availability can change sharply.

Buyers relying entirely on spot purchasing may struggle to secure the required source, concentration or grade during low-volume periods.

Risk controls include:

• Multiple approved suppliers
• Regional sourcing diversification
• Safety-stock requirements
• Staggered delivery contracts
• Alternative source qualification
• Forward purchasing during high-volume periods

2. Price and Product-Mix Risk

The price per kilogram varied from USD 3.57 to USD 20.16.

This range cannot be interpreted as a single uniform omega-3 market.

Monthly averages may shift because of differences in:

• EPA and DHA concentration
• Fish or algal origin
• Pharmaceutical or food grade
• Liquid or powder format
• Crude or refined material
• Encapsulation
• Certification
• Package size
• Destination mix

Buyers should avoid using a low-grade bulk price to negotiate a high-concentration or pharmaceutical product.

3. Liquidity Risk

February’s decline to 224 trades shows how quickly the market can become thin.

Lower liquidity may lead to:

• Fewer comparable offers
• Wider price differences
• Limited specification choice
• Longer lead times
• Greater counterparty concentration
• Less reliable monthly averages

4. Oxidation and Quality Risk

Omega-3 materials require careful quality and storage management.

Contracts should clearly define:

• Peroxide value
• Anisidine value
• Total oxidation value
• EPA and DHA content
• Heavy-metal limits
• Dioxin and PCB requirements
• Antioxidant system
• Shelf life
• Nitrogen flushing
• Temperature requirements
• Packaging material
• Certificate of Analysis

A low purchase price may be offset by oxidation loss, rejected batches or shorter remaining shelf life.

5. Source and Sustainability Risk

Fishery conditions, raw-material availability, certification requirements and sustainability concerns can affect both supply and customer acceptance.

Buyers should confirm source traceability and any required sustainability documentation before entering annual agreements.

6. Freight and Storage Risk

Omega-3 ingredients may require controlled storage, protective packaging or shorter delivery windows than standard bulk chemicals.

Delivered cost can be affected by:

• Temperature control
• Light and oxygen protection
• Freight delays
• Container availability
• Insurance
• Refrigerated or controlled warehousing
• Smaller package sizes

7. Inventory Risk

Buying during a low-price period can reduce procurement cost, but excessive stock creates:

• Oxidation exposure
• Shelf-life risk
• Working-capital pressure
• Storage costs
• Demand forecast risk
• Specification-change risk
• Potential write-offs

Procurement teams should balance price opportunity with product stability.

Procurement Opportunity Calendar

Best Procurement Windows

April: Strongest Price-Volume Combination

April offered:

• 1.33 million kg of physical weight
• Second-highest reported quantity
• Price of only USD 5.32/kg
• Broad market participation
• Large average transaction size

For qualified buyers, April was the strongest overall procurement month in the dataset.

March and May: High-Volume Coverage Windows

March and May together represented 27.5% of annual physical weight.

Prices remained below the annual weighted average, making these months suitable for:

• Base inventory coverage
• Annual contract allocation
• Larger commercial orders
• Supplier diversification
• Inventory replenishment

October: Late-Period Replenishment Opportunity

October’s physical weight rebound and price correction created the final broad procurement window before the late-year contraction.

Buyers that delayed purchasing until November or January faced much higher average prices.

February: Low Headline Price, High Execution Risk

February recorded the lowest price but also the weakest market activity.

The month may provide opportunities for buyers with:

• Established supplier relationships
• Flexible grade requirements
• Strong quality-control systems
• Limited urgent volume needs
• Capacity to verify product and delivery terms

It was less suitable for buyers requiring broad supplier choice or immediate large-volume execution.

Sales Opportunities for Suppliers

Defend Value During November–January Tightness

November, December and January recorded high prices from a smaller physical trade base.

Suppliers with qualified inventory may use similar periods to:

• Shorten quotation validity
• Prioritize higher-margin accounts
• Limit uncommitted stock
• Reprice customized grades
• Negotiate stronger payment terms
• Allocate limited material

Use March–May to Expand Volume and Customer Reach

Early high-volume months are suitable for:

• Customer acquisition
• Distributor development
• Annual contract negotiations
• Inventory turnover
• Trial orders
• Multi-grade sales programs

Suppliers should manage margin pressure and avoid excessive discounts unrelated to order size.

Develop Smaller and Higher-Specification Formats

The increase in transaction fragmentation during the second half of 2025 suggests demand for:

• Smaller packages
• Concentrated oils
• Powdered omega-3
• Customized EPA/DHA ratios
• Algal-source material
• Pharmaceutical and clinical grades
• Finished or semi-finished formats

Treat February as a Demand Warning

The simultaneous collapse in price, volume, value and trade count indicates more than ordinary seasonality.

Suppliers should respond to similar signals by:

• Reducing speculative inventory
• Reviewing customer stock levels
• Tightening credit controls
• Adjusting production or purchasing plans
• Prioritizing confirmed demand
• Protecting working capital

Recommended Actions for Procurement Managers

Qualify Products Before the Market Tightens

Approval of source, grade, concentration and quality documents should be completed during liquid periods rather than after prices have already risen.

Build a Three-Layer Purchasing Strategy

A practical structure includes:

• Coverage floor: contracted volume for essential demand
• Tactical buffer: additional inventory before expected tight periods
• Opportunity volume: purchases added during price corrections

Standardize Every Quotation

Supplier comparisons should include:

• USD per kilogram
• EPA percentage
• DHA percentage
• Total omega-3 concentration
• Product source
• Chemical form
• Oxidation limits
• Package size
• Net weight
• Certification
• Incoterm
• Freight
• Lead time
• Payment terms
• Remaining shelf life

Track Trade Count and Average Order Size

A rising trade count with falling average weight may indicate fragmentation rather than improving bulk availability.

Avoid Using the Latest Price in Isolation

February’s USD 3.57/kg average was formed in an unusually thin market.

Rolling averages and grade-specific quotations are more reliable than a single low-liquidity monthly result.

Recommended Actions for Suppliers and Distributors

Separate Volume Sales from Premium Sales

High-volume months and high-price months require different strategies.

March–May favored volume and customer acquisition. November–January favored value protection and premium product positioning.

Segment Customers by Application

Customers in supplements, infant nutrition, pharmaceuticals, food, feed and cosmetics have different quality and documentation requirements.

Pricing and service should reflect these differences.

Use Packaging and Format as Differentiators

Suppliers can expand margins and market coverage through:

• Flexible package sizes
• Nitrogen-flushed containers
• Light-resistant packaging
• Powder and microencapsulated formats
• Customized concentrations
• Regional warehousing
• Smaller minimum order quantities

Monitor Liquidity Before Reducing Prices

When trade count and value fall together, broad discounts may fail to restore demand.

Suppliers should determine whether weakness reflects price resistance, customer destocking, seasonal effects or a change in grade mix before cutting prices.

Indicators to Monitor in Future Omega-3 Trade Cycles

Buyers and suppliers should track:

• Fish oil and algal oil availability
• EPA and DHA concentrate supply
• Fishing seasons and quota changes
• Crude oil quality
• Algal fermentation capacity
• Feedstock and refining costs
• Pharmaceutical and supplement demand
• Infant nutrition demand
• Regional inventory
• Freight and cold-chain costs
• Sustainability certification
• Regulatory changes
• Oxidation and quality trends
• Currency movements
• Customer destocking and restocking

Several combined signals are especially useful:

Rising weight and falling price may indicate a broad procurement opportunity.

Falling weight and rising price may indicate tighter availability or a premium-grade shift.

Rising trades and falling average order size may indicate fragmented demand.

Falling quantity and rising value per unit may indicate larger packages or higher-value products.

Falling weight, price, value and trades together may indicate a broader demand freeze rather than a supply shortage.

Conclusion

Global omega-3 trade between March 2025 and February 2026 was defined by an early concentration of physical supply, increasing transaction fragmentation, a late-year price surge and a severe February contraction.

The market recorded 10.77 million kg across 8,296 trades, generating USD 100.32 million in value.

Physical weight reached 1.51 million kg in March 2025, before falling to 281,433 kg in February 2026, an 81.3% decline.

Reported quantity peaked later, reaching 3.45 million units in September, while trade count reached its maximum of 1,024 in December. These different peak periods demonstrate that physical volume, package structure and market participation followed separate patterns.

Prices climbed as physical supply weakened. The average price reached USD 17.43/kg in November, USD 15.63/kg in December and a high of USD 20.16/kg in January.

February then broke the pattern. Price collapsed to USD 3.57/kg as physical weight, quantity, value and trade count all reached their lows.

For buyers, April offered the strongest combination of high physical availability and low pricing. March, May and October also provided useful purchasing windows. February offered a low headline price but substantially higher liquidity, quality and execution risks.

For suppliers, November through January provided stronger pricing opportunities, while March through May favored volume growth and customer acquisition.

The central lesson is that omega-3 market strategy cannot be based on price alone. Product source, concentration, grade, package structure, oxidation control, transaction liquidity and timing must be assessed together.

By integrating trade data intelligence with real-time supply, quality and downstream-demand indicators, buyers and suppliers can identify more reliable procurement windows, protect margins and reduce exposure to abrupt market shifts.