Chineese government raises fuel prices

(news.flanders-china) -- The Chinese government raised fuel prices on March 20 by a larger than expected 6% to 7% to help refiners reduce losses.

Retail prices for gasoline and diesel were raised by CNY600 per ton, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said.

The last increase was on February 8 when prices went up by CNY300 per ton. PetroChina Chairman Jiang Jiemin said earlier this month that its refining loss last year was larger than the CNY50 billion expected and was still widening.


MRC

China PVC traders forced to keep domestic prices low despite global uptrend

(chemmonitor) -- Global polyvinyl chloride (PVC) manufacturers have executed a series of price increases in the current year. The shifts were based on more expensive feedstock and tighter supply.

However, China-based PVC companies did not succeed in their attempts to enhance prices in the country's market. This is partially explained by the poor downstream demand. Most users adopted a cautious position and mainly obtain the product on a hand-to-mouth basis.

MRC

Gulf countries to proceed with plastics industry expansion

(chemmonitor) -- An 11 percent share in the global market for plastics currently belongs to Gulf countries. The latter ones register annual growth of the plastics industry by one tenth on average.

The Oman's industry expands by around 3.5 percent per year. The country houses several prominent propylene and polyethylene (PE) production facilities. They are located at Salalah and Sohar. Besides, over 48 smaller units are situated in the territory of the Sultanate.

The industry rise is mainly based on the boost of the world demand for the materials.
MRC

Production of bulk polymers in Ukraine grew by 1.5 times

MOSCOW (MRC) -- In January-February, overall production of bulk polymers in Ukraine increased by one and half year on year and made 57,581 tonnes, according to a MRC ScanPlast. In February, total production of bulk polymers (polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride and polystyrene) in Ukraine grew to 30,251 tonnes, the largest increase in production fell made PVC.


Before seasonal growth of demand Karpatneftekhim (Lukoil Group) increased its production volume of PVC to 14,583 tonnes, thus increasing capacity utilization to 60%. In January, the production rate made 9,295 tonnes. Production of PVC is expected to increase further in March, with more than 11,000 tonnes of resin will be sent to export markets. The calendar factor decreased production of polyethylene in February to 8,748 tonnes. In general, in January-February, total production of HDPE in Ukraine made more than 18,000 tonnes, which was actually equal to the same period last year.

Last month production of polypropylene fell to 6,170 tonnes. In March, the Ukrainian producer Linik suspended for an indefinite time the refining, the production capacity of polypropylene made 60%, due to the work at imported feedstock.


In April, production of polypropylene is possible to stop. The two months production of polypropylene made about 14,400 tonnes, which was 19% down, compared to the year before.
In February, there was a small increase in production of polystyrene. Last month Concern Stirol produced only expandable polystyrene with the output amounted to 750 tonnes. In January, production of general purpose polystyrene made about 440 tonnes.


In January-February, overall production of bulk polymers in Ukraine grew by nearly 50% compared to the same period a year ago and amounted to 57,581 tonnes. Such a significant increase in production to a greater extent resulted from the start of production of suspension PVC by Karpatneftehim last May.


MRC

Yara reveals unacceptable payments in Swiss JV

(reuters) -- Yara International, one of the world's largest fertiliser companies, said it had uncovered "unacceptable payments" at its joint venture in Switzerland after an external investigation into possible corruption it initiated last year.

Yara said on Friday it had told Norwegian police about the findings, which follow last year's discovery of possible offences in connection with the establishment of Yara's Libyan Norwegian Fertiliser Company.

Yara has also been charged with suspected corruption involving a possible USD1 million bribe in India during efforts to create a joint venture.

Norway's white-collar crime unit, Oekokrim, is still investigating these matters, Yara said. "We will get to the bottom of this. Such breaches of Yara standards are unacceptable," said Yara's president and chief executive, Joergen Ole Haslestad, in a statement.

The company declined to comment further.

"The suspicions that have arisen concern serious offences and in general it is important for Oekokrim to get to the bottom of these types of affairs," public prosecutor Marianne Djupesland.

"As of today it is too early to say where this will end up in the criminal sense. When it comes to the India and Libya cases, we have come far but there still remain a few issues," she said.
MRC