Last year, the total volume of imports of polyethylene (PE) to the Ukrainian market fell by 7% compared to the same indicator in 2016 and amounted to 247.6 thousand tons. The reduction in imports was only for low-pressure polyethylene (HDPE), according to a report by the DataScope company of the MRC.

Last month PE external deliveries to Ukraine increased to 21.9 thousand tons against 21.9 thousand tons in November, local companies increased volumes of high-pressure polyethylene (LDPE) purchases, while purchases of linear polyethylene (LDPE) were reduced. In general, following the results of 2017, the total volume of external supplies of polyethylene reached the level of 247.6 thousand tons against 266.6 thousand tons in 2016, only the import of HDPE decreased due to growth of own production, and the demand for other ethylene polymers increased.

The structure of supplies by types of polyethylene over the period under review is as follows.

Last month, there was a slight decrease in imports of low pressure polyethylene to the Ukrainian market, some local companies reduced external supplies of film PE. The total import figure was 7.4 thousand tons against 7.9 thousand tons in November. In general, following the results of 2017, the total volume of imports of HDPE reached 96.7 thousand tons against 126.3 thousand tons a year earlier. The most reduction in imports was in the film HDPE, which is due to the resumption of its own production.

The December high-pressure polyethylene import index rose to 7.7 thousand tons against 5.9 thousand tons a month earlier, some companies formed additional LDP stocks against the background of forecasts of price growth in January-February. During the period under review, the total volume of imports of LDPE exceeded 69,1 thousand tons, which is 2% more than the same indicator in 2016.

Last month, external deliveries of linear polyethylene amounted to 5.5 thousand tons against 6.3 thousand tons in November, demand for PE from the side of stretch film manufacturers declined. In general, by the results of the last year the import of LDL increased to 66.1 thousand tons against 59.3 thousand tons a year earlier. The main increase in imports was provided by local producers of film products.

Import of other types of PE, including ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) for the period under review amounted to 15.6 thousand tons against 13.2 thousand tons a year earlier.