MOSCOW (MRC) -- Overall polyethylene (PE) imports into the Ukrainian market reached 83,500 tonnes in the first four months of 2021, down by 8% year on year. High density polyethylene (HDPE) accounted for the main decrease in imports, according to MRC's DataScope report.
Last month's PE imports to Ukraine were 19,500 tonnes, compared to 28,700 tonnes in March, local companies reduced their purchases of all PE grades, except for ethylene copolymers, because of record high prices in foreign markets. Thus, overall PE imports reached 83,500 tonnes in January-April 2021, compared to 90,900 tonnes a year earlier. These were mainly HDPE imports that decreased, whereas imports of other PE grades increased.
The structure of PE imports by grades looked the following way over the stated period.
Last month's HDPE imports were 6,600 tonnes, compared to 9,000 tonnes in March, Ukrainian companies reduced their purchases of PE for extrusion blow moulding (EBM) and films extrusion. Overall HDPE imports totalled 26,500 tonnes in the first four months of 2021 versus 38,600 tonnes a year earlier.
April imports of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were 5,800 tonnes versus 8,800 tonnes a month earlier, Ukrainian companies reduced their purchases in Russia. Overall LDPE imports reached 26,100 tonnes over the stated period, up by 3% year on year.
Last month's imports of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) were 5,700 tonnes, compared to 9,500 tonnes in March, shipments of film grade LLDPE from Saudi Arabia decreased because of high prices. However, overall LLDPE imports reached 25,800 tonnes in the first four months of 2021, compared to 22,800 tonnes a year earlier.
Imports of other PE grades, including ethylene-vinyl-acetate (EVA), totalled 5,100 tonnes over the stated period, compared to 4,000 tonnes a year earlier.
MRC