MOSCOW (MRC) -- Imports of polyethylene terephthalante (PET) chips to Ukraine decreased from January to May 2015 by 21% year on year and totalled 55,500 tonnes, according to MRC DataScope report.
Ukraine does not have its own PET chips production, thus, domestic demand is completely met by imports. Some major converters said this year's consumption of PET chips might be reduced by 15-25%.
Retal, Ukraine's largest producer of PET preforms, reduced its import purchasing. Sirius Extrusion reduced its consumption significantly. Obolon, beer producer, also reduced its PET purchasing in foreign markets. At the same time, TNS company has been increasing its imports.
Converters said demand for bottled water, drinks and beer from the Crimea would fall even further this summer. Shipments of finished products to the Crimea will be low because of the expected decrease in consumption in the region in the current holiday season. Consumption in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions also fell significantly. In case of a possible food blockade of these regions by Ukraine, supply of water and drinks into this area can be ceased.
If taking supply structure by grades, it should be noted that shipments of Lithuanian PET grades increased. Imports of Neo Group's PET chips totalled almost 21,000 tonnes, up by four-fold year on year. Imports of Chinese PET of Jiangsu Sanfangxiang decreased by 25% to 7,200 tonnes. Shipments of another Chinese plant - - slumped by 36% and totalled 4,000 tonnes.
MRC