Chitosan Market Report 2025

The chitosan market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $8.65 billion in 2024 to $10.37 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.9%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to seafood processing waste, biomedical applications, increased use in agricultural sector, food and beverage industry, paper and pulp industry, metal ion chelation.

The chitosan market size is expected to see exponential growth in the next few years. It will grow to $22.99 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to bioplastics development, nutraceuticals and dietary supplements, environmental concerns, agricultural biostimulants, functional food ingredients, regulatory support. Major trends in the forecast period include water filtration technologies, chitosan derivatives and modifications, chitosan nanoparticles in drug delivery, chitosan in biomedical scaffolds, chitosan in tissue engineering.

The growing demand for wastewater treatment worldwide is anticipated to drive the expansion of the chitosan market. Wastewater treatment refers to the process of eliminating impurities from wastewater before it is discharged into natural bodies or aquifers, such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. Chitosan is widely utilized in wastewater treatment due to its effectiveness in adsorbing heavy metals and metalloids, removing dyes from industrial wastewater, and eliminating other organic pollutants, including organic oxidants, oil impurities, and organochloride pesticides. For example, in March 2024, the Environment Agency, a UK-based non-departmental public body, reported a 54% increase in sewage spills, rising from 301,091 incidents in 2022 to 464,056 in 2023. Thus, the increasing need for wastewater treatment globally is propelling the growth of the chitosan market.

The surge in demand for personal care items is expected to drive the chitosan market's expansion. Personal care products encompass a range of consumer goods aimed at individual hygiene and grooming, spanning skincare, haircare, and oral care. Chitosan serves as a crucial ingredient in creams, lotions, serums, shampoos, and conditioners, contributing to hydration in skincare and improving hair texture and shine. Notably, as of September 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a noteworthy 12.3 percent rise in average consumer spending on personal care products in the US, reaching $866 in 2022 from $771 in 2021. This notable increase in demand for personal care products is a primary catalyst behind the growth of the chitosan market.

Key players in the chitosan market are strategically focused on introducing innovative solutions such as chitosan injection, aiming to secure a competitive advantage. Chitosan injection represents a novel medicinal delivery system leveraging chitosan, a naturally occurring polymer, as its primary constituent. Notably, in September 2023, KiOmed Pharma, a leading biotechnology firm headquartered in Belgium, unveiled KiOmedinevsOne. This product stands out as a non-animal-derived chitosan injection specifically formulated as a single-shot intraarticular injection for addressing the symptomatic challenges associated with knee osteoarthritis. Distinguished by its unique structure, diverging from both hyaluronic acid and natural chitosan, it demonstrates the ability to alleviate knee discomfort for over six months. Protected by patented technology, this innovation boasts an impressive response rate of up to 76%.

Leading companies in the chitosan market are actively pursuing strategic partnerships as a means to fortify their competitive position. These collaborations are geared towards amalgamating specialized knowledge and cutting-edge technologies to forge inventive chitosan-based products with wide-ranging industrial utility. A notable instance occurred in November 2022 when Novochizol SA, a prominent clinical-stage life science firm headquartered in Switzerland, entered into a partnership with Alpha Chitin, a distinguished biotechnology company. This strategic alliance empowers Novochizol SA to manufacture groundbreaking, top-tier chitosans using a distinctive chitosan processing technology, resulting in materials endowed with novel properties tailored for applications across diverse industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and agriculture.

In August 2024, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, an India-based research organization, formed a partnership with Ecogenie Biotech. This collaboration aims to develop sustainable production methods for chitin and chitosan from silkworm pupae, transforming waste into valuable bioproducts. By refining existing extraction technologies, the partnership promotes eco-friendly practices that contribute to India's circular economy. Ecogenie Biotech is an India-based biotechnology startup focused on developing chitosan.

Major companies operating in the chitosan market include Advanced Biopolymers AS, FMC Corporation, Kyowa Hakko Bio Co. Ltd., Dainichiseika Color & Chemicals Mfg. Co. Ltd., IFF NovaMatrix, Golden-Shell Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., KIMICA Corporation, Xianju Tengwang Chitosan Factory, Marine Biopolymer Technologies Inc. (MBT), Bio-Gate AG, Axio Biosolutions, Heppe Medical Chitosan GmbH, Panvo Organics Pvt Ltd, Agratech International Inc., Qingdao Yunzhou Biochemistry Co. Ltd., Meron Biopolymers, NovaTech Nutrition, G.T.C. Bio Corporation, Kitozyme S.A., Kraeber & Co. GmbH, Qingdao BZG Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., PT Biotech Surindo, Biophrame Technologies, Primex BioProducts, Chitofrance, Yishan Marine Biological Products Co. Ltd., Qingdao Haihui Marine Bioengineering Co. Ltd.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the chitosan market in 2024. North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the chitosan market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the chitosan market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Chitosan, derived from crustaceans and fungi, finds use in medicine, drug manufacturing, high blood pressure, wound healing, obesity, and cholesterol management. Its biodegradable nature supports antimicrobial film development for food packaging.

Chitosan is sourced from various marine organisms such as shrimp, squid, crab, krill, and other similar sources. The shrimp-derived segment involves the sale of chitosan solutions obtained from the exoskeleton of shrimp by different entities including organizations, sole traders, and partnerships. Shrimp are marine animals categorized within the extensive group of arthropods, considered a type of shellfish and seafood, specifically falling under the suborder Pleocyemata. In the chitosan market, the main grades include pharmaceutical, industrial, and food grades, serving applications in water treatment, food and beverage processing, cosmetics, medical and pharmaceutical products, agrochemicals, and various other sectors.

The chitosan market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides chitosan market statistics, including the global chitosan industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a chitosan market share, detailed chitosan market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the chitosan industry. This chitosan market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

The chitosan market consists of sales of various forms of chitosan, such as nanoparticles, nanofibers, and chitosan beads. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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