Russia SPVC exports high for last four months on weak domestic demand

MOSCOW (MRC)–January exports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) from Russia totalled around 18,000 tonnes, up from 15,600 tonnes in the same month last year, while imports were still scarce, according to MRC’s DataScope report.

Russian producers have maintained fairly high exports since last October amid weak demand for SPVC from the domestic market.

Overall exports of resin from Russia totalled 146,300 tonnes in 2018 versus 100,700 tonnes a year earlier.

The increased output and continuing decline in demand from the domestic market forced Russian producers to export more PVC for export.

Indian buyers with a volume of more than 66,000 tonnes became the key foreign importers of Russian resin.

Belarusian customers with a volume of over 28,000 tonnes were the second largest buyers of Russian SPVC.

Sufficient supply of PVC from Russian producers led to a multiple decrease in imports, with almost no foreign SPVC shipments last month.

Overall imports totalled 16,100 tonnes in the entire year of 2018  versus 48,900 tonnes a year earlier.

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