Chemical production in Russia increased by 2.5% in January-May

MOSCOW (MRC)–Russia’s chemical production index  grew by 0.3% in May compared to a year earlier, while, in the first five months of 2018, the indicator increased by 2.5% year on year, according to Rosstat.

May output of basic chemicals increased by 0.3% compared to May of the previous year, driven by a growth in mineral fertilizers.

Production of ethylene in May amounted to 240,000 tonnes this year, down slightly from 244,000 tonnes a month earlier.

Russia’s production of ethylene, meanwhile, reached 1.27m tonnes in the first five months of the year , down 0.3% year on year.

The output of benzene in May fell to 113,000 tonnes from 116,000 tonnes in April, while in the the January-to-May period, production of benzene reached 618,800 tonnes, up 3.3% year on year.

May production of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) was 97,800 tonnes versus 96,700 tonnes a month earlier, with the increase in the output a result of the gradual reaching of 100% loading after the scheduled shutdown at RusVinyl.

Total production of caustic soda rose to 5.24m tonnes in January-May, down 0.7% year on year.

May production of mineral fertilizers reached 2.01m tonnes, compared to 1.99m tonnes in April, while total production of mineral fertilizers in Russia was about 10.03m tonnes in the first five months of this year, up 4.6% year on year.

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