MOSCOW (MRC) - Imports of polyethylene (PE) into Kazakhstan decreased by 32% in the first three months of this year, compared to the same period in 2013. The main reduction in the imports occurred for high density polyethylene (HDPE), according to MRC DataScope report.
PE imports to Kazakhstan increased to 9,000 tonnes in March, compared with 6,300 tonnes in February. Such a surge in March PE imports resulted from seasonally stronger demand for finished products. Total PE imports to Kazakhstan declined to 21,500 tonnes in Q1 2014, compared with 31,500 tonnes in the same period of 2013.
The structure of PE supplies over the reported period was as follows.
March imports of HDPE to the country grew to 6,500 tonnes, compared with 4,700 tonnes in January and 4,600 in February. The increase HDPE imports in March was based on the more active purchases of Russian pipe HDPE in anticipation of a seasonal increase in demand for finished products. HDPE imports to Kazakhstan totalled 15,800 tonnes in Q1 2014, compared with 27,500 tonnes in the same period of 2013.
The main suppliers of polyethylene were Russian producers with 13,200 tonnes delivered over the reported period (10,000 tonnes in Q1 2013). HDPE imports from other countries, including Asia, declined to 2,600 tonnes in Q1 2014, from 13,600 tonnes in Q1 2013 because of 10% imports duty adopted on pipe PE from 1 January 2014.
Imports of low density polyethylene (LDPE) grew to 2,200 tonnes in March, compared with 1,400 tonnes 2.2 million tonnes in February on the back of active purchases of Russian LDPE from local producers of films. LDPE imports to Kazakhstan totalled 4,800 tonnes in the first three months of 2014, compared with 3,000 tonnes in thew same period a year earlier. Key suppliers of LDPE were Russian producers, with 90% share in total LDPE imports over the reported period.
March imports of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) rose to 412 tonnes, from 332 tonnes in February. Total LLDPE imports to Kazakhstan were about 920 tonnes in the first three months of the year, compared with 1,200 tonnes in the same period a year earlier. Key suppliers of LLDPE in Kazakhstan continued to be producers from Asia and Uzbekistan.
MRC