MCP 22% P (monocalcium phosphate) vs DCP 18% P (dicalcium phosphate) — Comparativa de compras
Comparativa técnica y comercial de MCP 22% P (monocalcium phosphate) vs DCP 18% P (dicalcium phosphate): CAPEX, OPEX, energía, mantenimiento y mejor uso. MCP…
MCP vs DCP — Choosing the Right Feed Phosphate
MCP and DCP are the two standard inorganic phosphate sources in compound feed. MCP carries 22% P at high water solubility and low calcium; DCP carries 18% P with more calcium and a lower price per tonne. The decision is never price per tonne — it is delivered cost per unit of available phosphorus at the Ca:P ratio your formula can absorb.
MCP 22% P (monocalcium phosphate)
- Higher phosphorus density (21–22.7% P) — fewer tonnes per unit of P
- ≥90–95% relative bioavailability; high water-soluble P share
- Low calcium (15–17% Ca) leaves formulation room for limestone
- Essential where Ca:P must stay narrow — shrimp, fish, piglet, broiler starter
- Granular grades flow and store well in humid discharge ports
- Premium of roughly USD 40–90/MT over DCP in a normal market
- Hygroscopic — powder grades cake if the liner or storage is poor
- Less calcium means limestone must be re-balanced in the matrix
- — Shrimp and fish feed requiring a narrow Ca:P ratio
- — Broiler starter, breeder and piglet diets where available P limits performance
- — Mills importing over long freight legs, where P density cuts freight per unit of P
DCP 18% P (dicalcium phosphate)
- Lowest cost per tonne of the standard phosphates
- Adequate availability (~80–85%) for most grower and layer diets
- Calcium contribution (23–25% Ca) replaces part of the limestone
- Widest origin choice — China, Morocco, Tunisia, Vietnam, Israel, Jordan
- Lower available P — more tonnes, more freight per unit of P
- Citric-acid solubility varies widely between plants; weak lots underperform
- High calcium can breach the Ca:P ceiling in shrimp and starter diets
- Fluorine and cadmium slippage is more common in cheap powder lots
- — Standard broiler grower/finisher, layer, swine and ruminant diets
- — Cost-optimised commodity feed with room in the calcium budget
- — Buyers with a reliable plant whose citric-acid solubility is proven by history
| Criterion | MCP 22% P (monocalcium phosphate) | DCP 18% P (dicalcium phosphate) |
|---|---|---|
| Indicative CFR cost per tonne (illustrative band only — confirm live offers) | USD 560–700 (22% P granular) | USD 480–620 (18% P granular) |
| Cost per unit of available P (the number that decides) | CIF ÷ (0.22 × ~0.95 availability) — usually competitive despite the tonne premium | CIF ÷ (0.18 × ~0.83 availability) — cheaper only when the spread stays under ~USD 60/MT |
| Typical composition (contract these, do not assume) | P 21.0–22.7%, Ca 15–17%, water-soluble P ≥ 80% of total P | P 18.0–18.5%, Ca 23–25%, citric-acid solubility ≥ 90% |
| Quality risk to monitor on every lot | Fluorine ≤ 1,800 mg/kg, P:F ≥ 100:1, moisture, caking, Cd/Pb/As | Citric-acid solubility, fluorine, cadmium, assay slippage below spec |
| Full name | Monocalcium phosphate — Ca(H₂PO₄)₂ | Dicalcium phosphate — CaHPO₄ |
| Calcium-to-phosphorus ratio | Roughly 0.7:1 — leaves room to add limestone | Roughly 1.3:1 — the calcium comes whether you want it or not |
| Typical inclusion | 3–15 kg per tonne of feed, species and phase dependent | 4–18 kg per tonne for the same available P |
| Species fit | Shrimp and fish, broiler starter, breeder, piglet | Broiler grower/finisher, layer, swine, ruminant |
| Documents to demand | Batch COA with total P, water-soluble P, F, Cd, Pb, As; GMP+ or FAMI-QS site certificate | Batch COA with total P, citric-acid solubility, F, Cd, Pb, As; GMP+ or FAMI-QS site certificate |
| How to normalise two offers | Delivered price ÷ (total P% × availability) at the same port and window | Same calculation — then rebalance limestone for the higher calcium before comparing formulation cost |
Normalise every offer to delivered cost per unit of available phosphorus, then check the Ca:P ratio the grade forces on your matrix. DCP 18% wins most grower, layer and ruminant volume while the MCP premium stays above roughly USD 60/MT. MCP 22% wins in shrimp, fish, starter and breeder diets, and often wins outright on long freight legs because you ship fewer tonnes per unit of P. MDCP sits between the two and is a legitimate compromise. Run the same phytase trade-off on both: a standard phytase dose releases 0.10–0.15% available P and removes 30–50% of the inorganic phosphate inclusion.
Related reading
The related pages buyers use when settling a phosphate specification:
- Monocalcium phosphate (MCP) — specification and sourcing
Typical assay, fluorine and heavy-metal limits, origins and supplier qualification checks.
- Dicalcium phosphate (DCP 18%)
The cheaper-per-tonne alternative and when its lower available P still wins.
- Feed minerals — macro and trace
Where phosphates sit alongside limestone, salt and the trace mineral package.
- MCP & DCP inclusion rates (kg per tonne)
Dosage by species and phase, and what a phytase matrix removes.
- Supplier audit checklist
What to verify before approving a new phosphate supplier.
Frequently asked questions
Is MCP always better than DCP?
How do I compare an MCP and a DCP offer correctly?
What about MDCP?
Which fluorine and heavy-metal limits should I contract?
Turn this decision into a scoped RFQ and receive comparable quotes from qualified manufacturers.
Browse the full buying-guide library across every category.
Buyer credit, ECA and leasing options — subject to third-party approval.
Elija su camino
¿Qué necesita ahora?
- USD 250K+
- Neutral frente a proveedores
- Revisión humana
Alimento terminado para mis animales
Alimento para aves, vacuno de leche y carne, cerdos y acuicultura, y contratos de alimento a granel.
Ingredientes, premixes y aditivos
Harina de soja, granos, DDGS, harina de pescado, aminoácidos, vitaminas, minerales, premixes y aditivos.
Construir o modernizar una planta de alimento
Plantas completas, peletizado, extrusión, molienda y mezclado, dosificación, silos, envasado y automatización.
Los proveedores solo se contactan tras una revisión humana autorizada. Para proyectos comerciales generalmente desde USD 250.000.
Cómo funciona