MOSCOW (MRC) -- Polypropylene (PP) imports into the Ukrainian market totalled 59,500 tonnes in the first half of 2021, down by 3% year on year. Homopolymer of propylene (homopolymer PP) accounted for the main decrease in imports, according to MRC's DataScope report.
June PP imports to Ukraine dropped to 9,800 tonnes from 10,100 tonnes a month earlier, local companies significantly reduced their purchases of propylene copolymers in Europe due to a record high level of export prices. Overall imports of propylene polymers reached 59,500 tonnes in January-June 2021, compared to 61,100 tonnes a year earlier. At the same time, imports of propylene copolymers increased, whereas imports of homopolymer PP decreased substantially.
The supply structure by PP grades looked the following way over the stated period.
In the fist month of summer, imports of homopolymer PP to the Ukrainian market exceeded 7,500 tonnes due to a major increase in shipments from China, whereas this figure was at 6,600 tonnes in May. Thus, overall homopolymer PP imports reached 44,100 tonnes in the first six months of 2021, down by 8% year on year.
Last month's imports of block copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) were 800 tonnes, compared to 1,400 tonnes in May, shipments of injection moulding PP block copolymers from Saudi Arabia were completely ceased. 5,900 tonnes of PP block copolymers were imported in the first half of 2021, compared to 5,700 tonnes a year earlier.
June imports of statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) decreased to 1,100 tonnes from 1,800 tonnes a month earlier, deliveries of pipe grade PP were reduced. Overall imports of PP random copolymer reached 7,800 tonnes in the first six months of 2021 versus 6,500 tonnes a year earlier.
Overall imports of other propylene copolymers totalled slightly over 1,800 tonnes over the stated period.
MRC