MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of polypropylene (PP) to the Belarusian market decreased over the first nine months of 2015 by 1.4% year on year and totalled just over 60,000 tonnes. At the same time, the market of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) showed a positive result, reported MRC analysts.
According to the National Statistics Committee of Belarus, September PP imports into Belarus dropped to 6,300 tonnes from 7,800 tonnes in August because of a major fall in shipments of propylene copolymers. The overall PP imports to the domestic market exceeded 60,000 tonnes from January to September 2015 versus 61,000 tonnes a year earlier. Demand for propylene copolymers subsided, whereas purchasing of homopolymer PP grew by 6.8%.
The consumption structure by PP grades looks the following way over the stated period.
September imports of homopolymer PP virtually remained at the level of August and totalled 5,600 tonnes. The overall imports of homopolymer PP to the local market rose to 43,900 tonnes over the first nine months of 2015 versus 41,100 tonnes a year earlier. Russian producers with a share of around 91% in the total imports are the key suppliers of homopolymer PP.
September imports of propylene copolymers fell to 729 tonnes from 2,300 tonnes a month earlier, which was caused by almost a threefold reduction in shipments from Russia. Imports of propylene copolymers into Belarus decreased by 18.5% over the stated period and reached 16,100 tonnes.
Russian producers are the main suppliers of propylene copolymers to the local market in the first nine months of 2015 (the overall shipments reached 11,800 tonnes). Germany and Austria with shipments of about 1,300 tonnes are the second and third largest suppliers.
MRC