MOSCOW (MRC) - Weaker demand and higher prices rsulted in a decline in Ukraine's imports of polypropylene (PP) in August by 17% compared to July levels, according to MRC DataScope.
August PP imports to Ukraine declined to 10,200 tonnes against 12,400 tonnes in July. The decline in imports was due to the weaker domestic demand and significant price increase in Europe.
External supplies of homopolymer PP last month declined to 8,400 tonnes compared to 9,100 tonnes in July. As MRC analysts expected, the supply of Russian homopolymer PP has been cut almost in half compared with the July figure due to the shortage in the domestic market and reduced export quotas by some Russian producers. The supply of European homopolymer PP was also limited.
Imports od copolymers of propylene in August fell to 1,800 tonnes compared to 3,300 tonnes in July. Strong prices of copolymers of propylene in Europe (prices rose on average by EUR50/tonne) forced many Ukrainian companies limit significantly the purchases in the last month.
Ukraine's PP imports in the eight months of the year totalled about 89,400 tonnes, up by 30% year on year.
MRC