MOSCOW (MRC) - Production of basic chemicals in Russia for the first four months of the year increased by 3.7%.
However, production of some products has declined, as per Rosstat's data.
According to the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, Russia's ethylene production in April was 216,000 tonnes, compared with 253,000 tonnes in March. The reduction in production resulted from a forced shutdown of Angarsk ZP and scheduled maintenance works at Kazanorgsintez. Total production of ethylene in Russia in Jan-April 2016 exceeded 969,000 tonnes, up 1.2% year on year.
April production of benzene reduced to 91,100 tonnes compared to 105,000 tonnes in March, which was also a result of shutdown of pyrolysis facilities in Angarsk and Kazan. Total benzene production over the first four months of the year exceeded 406,000 tonnes, down 1.1% from the same period in 2015.
Russia's production of xylol in April increased to 47,800 tonnes, compared with 47,700 tonnes in March 2016.
Production of xylol in January-April 2016 totalled 193,300 tonnes, down 3.9% year on year.
April production of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) increased to 98,300 tonnes (100% of the basic substance) against 95,600 tonnes in March. Total production of caustic soda exceeded 374,300 tonnes in January - April of this year, down 1.4% year on year on the back of forced shutdown at SayanskKhimPlast.
April production of mineral fertilizers was 1.7 mln tonnes (in terms of 100% nutrients), down 6.6% from the March level. Russia's production of mineral fertilizers in January-April 2016 was about 7 mln tonnes, up 4.5% than in the same time a year earlier. Production of all types of fertilizers has increased, the exception was only potash, production of which decreased by 5.3%.
MRC