MOSCOW (MRC) -- Polypropylene (PP) imports into Russia slumped in the first five months of 2019 by 7% year on year to 74,200 tonnes.
The greatest decrease in imports accounted for homopolymer PP, according to MRC DataScope.
May PP imports into the Russian market decreased to 16,300 tonnes from 18,700 tonnes a month earlier, supply of all grades of propylene polymers declined. In general, total PP imports into the country decreased to about 74,200 tonnes in January - May compared with 79,300 tonnes year on year. The volume of external purchases for all grades of polymers of propylene decreased, with the exception of stat-copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers), with the most noticeably reduced imports of homopolymer PP.
Overall, the structure of PP imports by grades looked the following way over the stated period.
May imports of homopolymer PP were 6,500 tonnes, compared to 6,300 tonnes a month earlier. Thus, overall imports of homopolymer PP to Russia totalled 25,400 tonnes in the first five months of 2019, compared to 28,700 tonnes a year earlier.
May imports of PP block copolymers in Russia were about 5,100 tonnes against 5,600 tonnes in April on decreased demand for pipe PP.
Imports of PP block copolymers into Russia reached 21,200 tonnes in January-May 2019, compared to 20,000 tonnes a year earlier.
May imports of PP random copolymers were about 1,700 tonnes versus 3,600 tonnes a month earlier, on decreased volumes of pipe PP purchases. Total imports of PP random copolymers in Russia were 13,100 tonnes in January - May 2018, compared with 13,800 tonnes year on year.
Russia's imports of other polymers of propylene for the period were about 14,500 tonnes in the first five months of the year, compared with 16.900 tonnes year on year.
MRC