While the VC antitrust case gradually faded from the industry's spotlight, this lengthy legal battle has now reignited. On April 3, North China Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. released an announcement stating that its subsidiary, Hebei Wellcome Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., is involved in a three-year U.S. antitrust case related to vitamin C. After four domestic defendants previously defended the case, the plaintiff recently amended the complaint and added North China Pharmaceutical as a new defendant. The "unexplained" defendant, North China Pharmaceutical, stated in its statement that it has hired U.S. legal experts with experience in antitrust litigation to fully defend the case. However, many are puzzled as to why Huayou Pharmaceutical was named as a defendant after Wellcome Pharmaceuticals was initially targeted. Huayou’s chairman, Chang Xing, expressed confusion: “We also feel strange. We don’t know the reason for being added as a defendant. It’s unclear what they are trying to do.” Legal experts suggest that the inclusion of Huayou may be due to the long and costly nature of the case, which could attract U.S. law firms seeking high-risk, high-reward litigation. In the U.S., risk-based litigation allows lawyers to take up to 90% of the settlement, making such cases highly lucrative. According to sources, the addition of Huayou was mainly because it is the parent company of Wellcome Pharmaceuticals and participated in the sales of vitamin C. From the U.S. perspective, any involvement in the sales process could imply participation in pricing, potentially leading to accusations of price manipulation. This case took a major turn two years ago when Ranis Corporation, the original plaintiff, voluntarily withdrew its lawsuit against Northeast Pharmaceutical in February 2007. That victory gave hope to other Chinese companies still caught in similar legal battles. However, this time, North China Pharmaceutical is now involved, and Chang Yuxing noted that resolving the case will likely take a long time. Despite the legal challenges, China’s vitamin C exports have not been significantly affected. In fact, prices have remained high since last year. According to analyst Bao Yanfeng from Health Network, the current price of vitamin C is around $11 per kilogram. Statistics from the China Medicare Association show that in 2007, China exported nearly 70,000 tons of vitamin C, valued at $330 million, with an average price increase of 40%. The U.S. remains the largest market for Chinese vitamin C exports, accounting for a significant share of global trade. According to the Medicare Chamber of Commerce, developed countries like Europe and North America make up about 70% of the global vitamin C market, with North America alone representing a quarter of that, mostly in the U.S. However, there are underlying concerns. The rising prices last year led to some companies expanding their production. In August, reports emerged that Huaxing, known as the "industry salt killer," began producing 2,000 tons of vitamin C annually. While this capacity is much smaller than that of major players, it still raises questions about market stability. Analyst Bai Yanfeng noted that this year’s vitamin C prices are unlikely to drop significantly but won’t be extremely low either, with an overall increase compared to previous years. This trend is driven by rising energy costs, including water, electricity, and raw materials. On April 9, the central parity rate of the RMB against the U.S. dollar broke through the 7.0 level, entering the "Ben 6" era. This appreciation has increased pressure on export-oriented enterprises. Reports indicate that many processing companies in the Pearl River Delta are struggling due to the RMB’s continued rise. This situation serves as a warning for the domestic pharmaceutical export industry, including vitamin C.

Furan Agrochemical intermediate

Furan is a heterocyclic organic compound that is used as an intermediate in the production of agrochemicals. It is a five-membered ring containing four carbon atoms and one oxygen atom.

Furan is used as a starting material in the synthesis of various agrochemicals such as herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. For example, it is used in the production of the herbicide Glyphosate, which is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. Furan is also used in the production of insecticides such as Fipronil and Imidacloprid.

In addition to its use in agrochemicals, furan is also used in the production of pharmaceuticals, polymers, and solvents.

furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid,CAS NO: 2528-00-9,Molecular formula: C8H9ClO3,CAS No. 3238-40-2,Molecular formula: C6H4O5

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