Polypropylene (PP) imports into Russia slumped by 5% year on year to 137,200 tonnes in the first nine months of 2019.

The greatest decrease in imports accounted for homopolymer PP, according to MRC DataScope.

September PP imports into the Russian market decreased to 17,000 tonnes from 18,100  tonnes a month earlier, supply of homopolymer PP from Turkmenistan grew. In general, total PP imports into the country decreased to about 137,200 tonnes in January - September compared with 144,700 tonnes year on year. The volume of external purchases for all grades of polymers of propylene decreased, with the exception of PP block copolymers, with the most noticeably reduced imports of homopolymer PP.

Overall, the structure of PP imports by grades looked the following way over the stated period.

September imports of homopolymer PP decreased to 5,000 tonnes against 6,600  tonnes a month earlier, shipments of homopolymer PP raffia from Central Asia decreased several times. Thus, overall imports of homopolymer PP to Russia totalled 43,200 tonnes in the nine months of 2019, compared to 51,800 tonnes a year earlier.

September imports of PP block copolymers in Russia were about 6,000 tonnes against 5,300 tonnes in August on decreased demand for injection moulding PP. Imports of PP block copolymers into Russia reached 43,200 tonnes in January-September 2019, compared to 36,000 tonnes a year earlier.

Imports of  stat-propylene copolymers (PP-random) exceeded 3,000 tonnes in September against 2,900 tonnes in August. Total imports of PP random copolymers in Russia were 23,900 tonnes in January - September 2019, compared with 26,900 tonnes year on year.

Russia"s imports of other polymers of propylene for the period were about 27,000 tonnes in the first nine months of the year, compared with 30,000 tonnes year on year.

Source: MRC