MOSCOW (MRC) -- Ukraine's polypropylene (PP) imports totalled about 61,100 tonnes in January-June of this year, down 8% year on year.
All PP grades accounted for the decrease in shipments, according to a MRC's DataScope report.
June imports rose to 13,400 tonnes against 8,700 tonnes a month earlier under the pressure of the seasonal factor and the relaxation of quarantine restrictions. Overall imports of propylene polymers reached 61,100 tonnes in January-June 2020, compared to 66,800 tonnes a year earlier. Demand for all grades of propylene polymers decreased, but propylene block copolymers (PP block copolymers) accounted for the largest reduction.
The structure of PP imports by grades looked the following way over the stated period.
June imports of homopolymers of propylene to the Ukrainian market grew to 10,900 tonnes from 6,600 tonnes a month earlier, local companies increased purchasing of homopolymer PP raffia in Russia and Azerbaijan. Total homopolymer PP imports were 47,900 tonnes in January-June, compared to 52,200 tonnes a year earlier.
June imports of PP block copolymers into the country amounted to a little more than 1,500 tonnes compared to 700 tonnes in May, local companies increased the volume of purchases of injection moulding polypropylene. Over the reporting period, about 5,700 tonnes of propylene block copolymers were imported against 6,400 tonnes for the same period in 2019.
June PP random copolymers imports decreased to 700 tonnes from 1,200 tonnes a month earlier, local companies decreased their purchasing of pipe and injection moulding PP random copolymers. Overall PP random copolymers imports reached 6,500 tonnes in January-June 2020, compared to 7,300 tonnes a year earlier.
Overall imports of other propylene copolymers totalled slightly over 900 tonnes over the stated period.
MRC