MOSCOW (MRC) -- Polypropylene (PP) imports into Russia slumped in the first six months of 2019 by 11% year on year to 86,800 tonnes.
The greatest decrease in imports accounted for homopolymer PP, according to MRC DataScope.
June PP imports into the Russian market decreased to 12,600 tonnes from 16,300 tonnes a month earlier, supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers declined. In general, total PP imports into the country decreased to about 86,800 tonnes in January - June compared with 97,800 tonnes year on year. The volume of external purchases for all grades of polymers of propylene decreased, with the exception of PP block 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.
June imports of homopolymer PP decreased to 3,300 tonnes against 6,500 tonnes a month earlier, shipments of homopolymer PP raffia from Central Asia decreased several times. Thus, overall imports of homopolymer PP to Russia totalled 28,600 tonnes in the first six months of 2019, compared to 36,000 tonnes a year earlier.
June imports of PP block copolymers in Russia were about 4,300 tonnes against 5,100 tonnes in May on decreased demand for injection moulding PP. Imports of PP block copolymers into Russia reached 25,500 tonnes in January-June 2019, compared to 24,200 tonnes a year earlier.
June imports of PP random copolymers were about 2,000 tonnes versus 1,700 tonnes a month earlier, on increased volumes of film PP purchases. Total imports of propylene copolymers in Russia were 15,100 tonnes in January - June 2019, compared with 16,900 tonnes year on year.
Russia's imports of other polymers of propylene for the period were about 17,500 tonnes in the first six months of the year, compared with 20.600 tonnes year on year.
MRC