MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall imports of polyethylene (PE) into Belarus dropped by 2.8% year on year in the first six months of 2019, reaching 62,900 tonnes. Local companies increased their purchasing of only high density polyethylene (HDPE), according to MRC's DataScope report.
According to the National Statistics Committee of Belarus, June PE imports to Belarus virtually remained at the level of the previous month and were 11,200 tonnes. Overall PE imports totalled 62,900 tonnes in January-June 2019, compared to 64,800 tonnes a year earlier. Demand for linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) subsided, whereas demand for HDPE increased.
The structure of PE imports to Belarus by grades looked the following way over the stated period.
June 2019 total low density polyethylene (LDPE) imports rose to 3,600 tonnes from 3,200 tonnes a month earlier, local companies raised their purchasing in Azerbaijan. Overall imports of this PE grade into Belarus totalled about 20,000 tonnes in the first half of 2019, which virtually corresponded to the last year's figure.
June HDPE imports were about 5,300 tonnes, compared to 6,700 tonnes a month earlier. Local companies reduced their purchasing of film grade PE in Russia and of Middle Eastern pipe grade PE. Thus, HDPE imports totalled 30,100 tonnes in January-June 2019, up by 6.8% year on year.
Overall LLDPE imports reached 12,900 tonnes in January-June 2019, whereas this figure was 16,900 tonnes a year earlier.
MRC