Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) of the People's Republic of China issued Announcement No. 1010 (dated April 14, 2026), approving the initial registration, renewal, or modification of 233 feed and feed additive products manufactured by 100 companies, including Phytobiotics Futterzusatzstoffe GmbH.
Notably, the announcement specifically highlighted that "LUMIGARD TCB 500" (due to a change in the scope of application), "BIO-CHLOR" (due to a change in quality standards), and "ZEAL Air-Dried Beef Recipe for Cats" (due to a formula change) were re-issued import registration certificates, with their original certificates officially revoked.
Overall Overview: Feed Registration Scale and License Type Distribution
According to the announcement, a total of 215 imported feed and feed additive products were approved for new registration or renewal. Meanwhile, it approved information modifications for 18 products from 5 companies, including Ohio Pet Foods Inc., USA.
Looking at the license types:
New Registrations: 152 products, accounting for approx. 70.7%;
Renewals: 63 products, accounting for approx. 29.3%;
REACH24H Commentary: The proportion of new registrations reaches as high as 70% (70.7%), demonstrating a robust momentum for market entry and the strong confidence of overseas enterprises in the Chinese market. A massive influx of new formulas and brands is accelerating, particularly seizing market share in the pet and exotic pet sub-tracks. Simultaneously, the nearly 30% renewal rate guarantees the stable supply of mature, market-verified products (such as fundamental bulk raw materials and core additives). This structure of "driving high-proportion innovations while stabilizing the fundamentals" is a vital indicator that the Chinese feed market maintains both innovative vitality and supply chain resilience.
Product Category Distribution: Surge in Dietetic Pet Foods and the Rise of Exotic Pet Markets
A refined classification of the 215 products reveals that they are mainly concentrated in the following five categories:
1. Pet Products: 111 products, accounting for approx. 51.6%
This category holds absolute dominance. A significant feature of this batch is the massive emergence of prescription diets (dietetic feeds). For instance, Italy's FARMINA PET FOODS and Monge received concentrated approvals for their VET LIFE series and other dietetic canned/wet foods targeting specific issues like intestinal health, renal function, urinary tract issues, and obesity. Furthermore, brands such as Alsa, Isegrim, and Lucky Lou from Germany, as well as Blackwood and Instinct from the US, contributed a large number of complete dog and cat foods.
2. Single Feed (Bulk Raw Materials): 42 products, accounting for approx. 19.5%
These primarily include White Fishmeal, Red Fishmeal, Poultry Meal, Pork Meat and Bone Meal, Spray-Dried Equine Meat Meal, and Double Low Rapeseed Meal. The main source countries are the USA (DARLING INGREDIENTS INC.), Brazil (SEARA ALIMENTOS LTDA), Russia (“SOFCO” Co. Ltd.), and Peru. This illustrates China's massive demand for animal-derived protein and high-value-added plant protein ingredients, as well as its diversified import strategy.
3. Feed Additives Mixture: 31 products, accounting for approx. 14.4%
Products are highly concentrated in microbial enzyme preparations (e.g., Keratinase and Amylase from Novozymes), plant extracts, acidity regulators, and organic trace elements (e.g., Copper/Zinc Glycinate from Phytobiotics Futterzusatzstoffe GmbH). This highlights the urgent demand from the domestic farming sector for advanced nutritional and gut health solutions under the rigid requirements of "cost reduction and efficiency enhancement" and "antibiotic reduction and replacement."
4. Compound Feed (Non-Pet): 22 products, accounting for approx. 10.2%
In addition to compound feeds for piglets and calves, ornamental fish, turtle, and racing pigeon feeds performed exceptionally well. Japan's KYORIN FOOD INDUSTRIES LTD. (Hikari brand) secured concentrated approvals for over a dozen ornamental fish feeds (such as those for Medaka and Cichlids), while Germany's Tetra GmbH also introduced multiple feeds for aquatic turtles and Cichlids. This reflects the rapid emergence of the domestic exotic pet and aquarium market.
5. Feed Additive Premixes & Single Feed Additives: 9 products, accounting for approx. 4.2%
This includes single-ingredient feed additives (such as L-Selenomethionine) and a small number of specific animal premixes.
REACH24H Commentary: Pet food remains the core engine driving imports, with characteristics of being increasingly "prescription-based, medical-grade, and ultra-natural," indicating that pet owners' consumption is upgrading towards professional-level health care. Meanwhile, the clustered approvals of specialized feeds for niche exotic pets like ornamental fish, turtles, and racing pigeons signal that the consumption circles of China's feed market are undergoing deep segmentation. Enterprises are actively exploring new profit growth points brought by the "long-tail effect."
Country/Region Distribution: A Mapping of Global Feed Technology and Resource Allocation
Based on the geographical distribution of the registered products, the 215 products in this batch cover multiple countries and regions globally, presenting a refined division of labor: "Europe accelerating in specialty and dietetic feeds, the Americas leading in raw materials and premium pet food, and Asia cultivating the exotic pet ecology":
1. Europe: Germany, Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium are the primary sources.
Europe not only maintains technological leadership in Feed Additives Mixtures (e.g., enzymes, micro-ecologics) but also excels in pet food. For example, Italy monopolized nearly 30 prescription wet food/canned products, while Germany contributed a large number of refined complete canned foods. Leveraging their rigorous quality control and profound clinical nutrition heritage, European enterprises firmly control the high-value-added segments.
2. The Americas: Dominated by the USA, Canada, Brazil, Peru, and Chile.
The US product line exhibits a "dumbbell shape": on one end are high-end pet foods (e.g., Instinct, Blackwood), and on the other end are high-quality animal by-product ingredients (e.g., various meat meals). Brazil and Peru continue to capitalize on their natural resource advantages, acting as stable supply hubs for animal-derived protein ingredients (meat and bone meal, fishmeal) and DDGS.
3. Asia & Oceania: Covering Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Russia, Singapore, etc.
Japan, relying on its absolute dominance in the aquarium sector (highly refined fish feeds under the Hikari brand), demonstrated the ultimate pursuit of exotic pet rearing. Backed by their natural and pristine origins, New Zealand and Australia continue to export high-end, meat-sourced (e.g., venison, tripe, mackerel) pet air-dried foods and canned goods (e.g., Ziwi Peak) to China. Russia holds an important position in marine resources like premium White Fishmeal and Red Fishmeal.
REACH24H Commentary: This mirrors the sophisticated division of the global supply chain: Europe focuses on high-barrier additives and medical-grade prescription pet foods; the Americas leverage large-scale agricultural advantages to dominate bulk protein ingredients and premium pet food; Asia (represented by Japan) pushes highly vertical ornamental animal husbandry to the extreme. Through its registration system, China precisely funnels these global advantageous resources into every capillary of the domestic market, comprehensively empowering the livestock and pet industries.
Key Trend Analysis: From Functional Innovation to Sustainable Transition
Judging from the data of the registered products and the highlighted emphasis in the original announcement, the imported feed products approved in April 2026 highlight several key trends:
1. Dynamic Regulation: Strict Control Over Changes in Scope of Application, Quality Standards, and Formulas.
The announcement specifically noted that "LUMIGARD TCB 500", "BIO-CHLOR", and "ZEAL Air-Dried Beef Recipe for Cats" were re-issued certificates (with original certificates revoked) due to changes in their scope of application, quality standards, and formulas, respectively. This sends a strong signal: the regulatory authorities conduct dynamic, full-lifecycle follow-ups on imported products. Any changes in core indicators must undergo strict re-evaluation for access, demonstrating the rigor and scientific nature of the regulation.
2. Explosion of the Pet Prescription Diet Track.
This batch saw an unprecedented concentration of pet prescription diets (especially wet food/cans) targeting specific conditions such as obesity, diabetes, renal insufficiency, and struvite stones. This indicates that as the aging trend of domestic pets becomes apparent, the integration of pet medical care and daily nutrition will become the core incremental market in the future.
3. Exotic Pet and Aquarium Markets Moving Towards Professionalization.
Beyond traditional dogs and cats, the massive influx of products like Medaka breeding feeds from Japan, turtle deodorizing meat sticks from Taiwan (AZOO BIO CORPORATION), and pigeon nutritional liquids from Belgium indicates that the "Pet Economy" has crossed the boundaries of cats and dogs, penetrating deeply into leisure animal sectors like aquariums, birds, and reptiles. Consumers' feeding requirements for exotic pets are shifting toward a professional level.
4. Efficient Utilization of Unconventional Proteins and By-Products.
By-product raw materials such as Poultry By-Product Meal from Brazil and the USA, Porcine Protein Concentrate and Spray Dried Porcine Plasma Protein Meal, and even "Spray-Dried Equine Meat Meal" from Mongolia continue to be approved. In the context of a tightly balanced global protein resource, improving the utilization efficiency of animal by-products is not merely a cost-reduction measure, but a crucial strategy to drive the industry toward a circular economy and sustainable development.
Summary
MARA Announcement No. 1010 approved the registration of 215 imported feed and additive products (along with 18 modifications). New registrations accounted for an impressive 70.7%. The countries of origin reflect a refined landscape: "Europe leading in specialty and prescription diets, the Americas balancing raw materials and pet food, and Oceania/Asia deeply cultivating natural and aquarium sectors." On the product side, trends show the sub-segmentation of pet prescription diets, the explosion of the exotic pet/aquarium market, and the efficient utilization of by-product raw materials. This announcement sets a clear direction for the industry: enterprises must not only grasp medical-grade customization and long-tail niche markets but also prioritize compliance red lines—such as formulas and standards—as the absolute lifeline of their corporate strategy.
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