Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) – A Global Market Overview

Global Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) Market Trends and Outlook

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) are widely recognized for their considerable health benefits. They play a crucial role in promoting cardiovascular health and are also associated with protective effects against a variety of health conditions, including cancer, birth defects, diabetes, arthritis, cognitive decline, depression, and several others. These essential fatty acids are not produced by the body in sufficient quantities and must be obtained through diet or supplements. Historically, fish oils have been the primary source for extracting Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly the long-chain varieties like EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). However, in recent years, attention has increasingly turned toward alternative sources such as krill oil, squid oil, and oils derived from microalgae. Among these, microalgae have emerged as a particularly promising and sustainable source.

The global Omega-3 PUFA ingredients market faced a tumultuous year in 2023. The market experienced pronounced volatility, largely due to significant disruptions in supply and mounting economic challenges. One of the key contributing factors was a marked decline in fish oil production, especially in Peru, which is among the world's leading suppliers. This decline was brought on by a combination of environmental and regulatory factors. The El Nino phenomenon caused shifts in ocean temperatures and altered fish migration patterns, which resulted in lower fish populations. In response, the Peruvian government not only canceled a fishing season but also imposed reduced quotas for allowable catch. These developments, coupled with broader issues such as disruptions in global supply chains, shortages of raw materials, and escalating transportation costs, severely curtailed the availability of Omega-3 ingredients and triggered a significant rise in prices.

Moving into 2024, market conditions began to stabilize. There was an improvement in fishing quotas and a recovery in fish oil production, particularly in regions affected during the previous year. These developments helped to normalize both supply and pricing levels across the market. As a result, global Omega-3 demand registered a growth of 3.8%. However, with prices softening from the elevated levels of 2023, the market's overall value declined by 9.7%, settling at US$2.23 billion. Continued interest in the health benefits of Omega-3s, combined with increasing consumer awareness and innovation in sourcing and product formulation, is expected to support ongoing growth. By the year 2030, global Omega-3 PUFAs demand is projected to reach US$2.54 billion with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.4% over the forecast period spanning 2024 to 2030.

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) Regional Market Analysis

The report reviews, analyzes and projects the Omega-3 PUFAs market for global and the regional markets including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America and Rest of World for the period 2021-2030 in terms of volume (metric tons) as well as value (USD). Asia-Pacific region leads the global Omega-3 PUFAs volume market with a share of 41.7% in 2024 and is further projected to record the world fastest CAGR of 5.5% during 2024-2030 to reach 91 thousand metric tons by 2030. In terms of value, North America and Asia-Pacific led the global market with shares of 33.5% and 33.2% respectively in 2024. However, demand for Omega-3 PUFAs in North America is projected to sustain the slowest CAGR of 2.2% during the similar period.

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) Market Analysis by Raw Material Source

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid (PUFAs) ingredients analyzed in this study include Omega-3 EPA and DHA from marine sources including fish oils, krill oils and squid oils; and algal sources. Marine oils constitute the largest raw material source for Omega-3 PUFAs globally, cornering a volume share estimated at 95% in 2024, valued at US$1.8 billion. However, algal oils are likely to emerge as the faster growing source for Omega-3 PUFAs, reaching a projected US$531.5 million in 2030 by registering a CAGR of 6.6% between 2024 and 2030.

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) Market Analysis by End-use Application

End use applications of Omega-3PUFAs covered in this report include dietary supplements, food & beverages, animal nutrition including aqua feed and pet food, infant nutrition, pharmaceuticals and clinical nutrition. In terms of volume, dietary supplements and animal nutrition are the two largest applications for Omega-3s globally cornering shares of 57% and 22.2% respectively in 2024. Dietary supplements again lead the value market for Omega-3 globally with US$777 million, followed by infant nutrition and pharmaceuticals in 2024. Demand for Omega-3 PUFAs in the global infant nutrition sector is projected to post the fastest 2024-2030 CAGR of 6.3% in terms of volume, reaching 20 thousand metric tons by 2030.

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) Market Report Scope

This global report on Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) analyzes the global and regional markets for types (based on raw material source) and end-use applications from 2021-2030 period with projections from 2024 to 2030 in terms of volume shipments in metric tons and value in US$. In addition to providing profiles of major companies operating in this space, the latest corporate and industrial developments have been covered to offer a clear panorama of the industry.

Key Metrics
Historical Period: 2021-2023
Base Year: 2024
Forecast Period: 2024-2030
Units: Volume consumption in Metric Tons and Value market in US$
Companies Mentioned: 140+

Global Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) Market by Geographic Region
• North America (The United States, Canada and Mexico)
• Europe (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the United Kingdom and Rest of Europe)
• Asia-Pacific (Australia/New Zealand, China, Japan, South Korea, India and Rest of Asia-Pacific)
• South America (Argentina, Brazil and Rest of South America)
• Rest of World

Global Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) Market by Type (based on Raw Material Source)
• Marine Oil Sourced Omega-3 PUFAs (EPA and DHA containing Fish Oils, Krill Oils and Squid Oils)
• Algal Oil Sourced Omega-3 PUFAs

Global Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) Market by End-use Application
• Dietary Supplements
• Food and Beverage Fortification
• Pet Nutrition
• Infant Nutrition
• Pharmaceuticals
• Clinical Nutrition

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