A low demand for PVC from the converters this year as well as a stable production of the domestic producer Karpatneftekhim (Lukoil group) secured the reduction of imports to Ukraine in May. Following the results of May the total volume of suspension PVC exports to the Ukrainian market declined to the level of 5,900 tonnes.
In April this index made about 7,400 tonnes and was mainly secured by some major producers of window profile since they wanted to make additional inventories ahead of the season. In April high export prices and a lower price level in the local market made the Ukrainian traders significantly reduce their purchases of PVC from the USA.
In May imports of the North American resin slumped three-fold from April and amounted to about 1,000 tonnes. Yet, in late May the Ukrainian traders began actively contracting resin from the USA on a major fall in prices of PVC exports, report the analysts of MRC.
Conversely, last month’s shipments from Europe grew and made about 4,800 tonnes. A further increase of imports of the European PVC is expected in June due to a major decline of export quotations and weakening of the euro exchange rate.
In general, the total year-to-date import of suspension PVC to Ukraine made about 25,300 tonnes, 58% down year-on-year.