Ukraine Q1 PP imports up by 11% year on year

MOSCOW (MRC)–Overall polypropylene (PP) imports to the Ukrainian market totalled 31,500 tonnes in the first three months of 2019, up by 11% year on year, according to MRC DataScope.

Only homopolymer PP increased, with demand for propylene copolymers falling.

March PP imports into Ukraine rose to 11,900 tonnes from 11,400 tonnes a month earlier, with propylene homopolymer (homopolymer PP) accounting for the main increase.

The supply structure by PP grades looked the following way over the stated period:

March imports of homopolymers of propylene grew to 9,700 tonnes from 9,100 tonnes a month earlier,with local companies increasing the purchasing of homopolymer PP raffia in the Middle East.

Overall shipments of homopolymer PP reached 24,500 tonnes in the first three months of 2019 versus 20,300 tonnes a year earlier.

Last month’s imports of block propylene copolymers (PP block copolymers) were 800 tonnes, compared to 1,100 tonnes in February.

2,900 tonnes of PP block copolymers were imported over the stated period, whereas this figure was 3,300 tonnes a year earlier.

March imports of  PP random copolymers were about 1,300 tonnes versus 1,100 tonnes a month earlier.

Overall imports of PP random copolymers exceeded 3,500 tonnes in January-March 2018, whereas this figure was 4,300 tonnes a year earlier. Imports of other propylene copolymers were about 500 tonnes over the stated period.

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