Russia PVC imports down in Jan-April year on year

MOSCOW (MRC)–Imports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) into Russia reached about 11,800 tonnes in the first four months of the year, down 7% year on year.

PVC exports from the country also decreased, according to MRC’s DataScope report.

April imports of SPVC increased to 7,000 tonnes against 1,600 tonnes a month earlier, with a significant decline in export prices in China led to an increase in the volume of purchases of acetylene resin.

In general, total SPVC imports into the country reached 11,800 tonnes in January-April compared with 12,700 tonnes year on year. The key external suppliers of PVC over this period traditionally were Chinese producers.     

April imports of Chinese acetylene PVC grew to 6,700 tonnes, compared with 1,200 tonnes in March.

Chinese producers significantly decreased export prices over the last two months, while the rouble has strengthened against the dollar rate.

These factors led to an increase in imports of PVC in the period under review to 10,700 tonnes (an increase of 15% from 2016).

It is also worth noting that given the strengthening of the rouble exchange rate and safeguard actions from some countries (Ukraine banned the import of resin from RusVinyl and Kaustik Volgograd since April), Russian producers reduced PVC exports further.

April Russia’s PVC exports (excluding supplies to Belarus, and Kazakhstan) decreased to 2,200 tonnes against 5,700 tonnes a month earlier.

Thus, SPVC exports from Russia during the period under review were about 28,100 tonnes, down 2% year on year.

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