PP imports to Kazakhstan up 8% in the first eight months of 2016

MOSCOW (MRC)–Imports of polypropylene (PP) into Kazakhstan rose in the first eight months of 2016 by 8% year on year and exceeded 15,000 tonnes, reported MRC analysts.

At the same time, exports from the Republic of Kazakhstan decreased.

In August 2016, PP imports to Kazakhstan grew to 1,900 tonnes from 1,200 tonnes a month earlier, with PP pipes producers accounting for the increase in imports. Overall PP imports exceeded 15,000 tonnes in January-August 2016, compared to 13,900 tonnes a year earlier. Export sales of Kazakh PP, on the contrary, fell by 27%.

The structure of PP imports by grades looked the following way over the stated period: imports of propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) rose to 9,000 tonnes in the first eight months of the year from 6,600 tonnes a year earlier. Shipments of propylene copolymers increased by more than one and a half times this year, namely, to 6,000 tonnes, compared to 3,600 tonnes in the same period of 2015.

Stronger demand for PP from the local market allowed Neftekhim to reduce exports this year. 13,600 tonnes were shipped to foreign markets, whereas this figure was 18,700 tonnes a year earlier.

MRC, a partner of ICIS, produces polymers news and pricing reports from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.