Polypropylene (PP) imports dropped by 21% in Russia in the first half of the year, as compared with the same period last year – MRC’s analysts reporting. Imports of PP from South Korea decreased more than 3.5 times.

PP-homo imports fell by 20% and moved at 31.96 kt. Demand on the part of PP bags and big-bags producers became much weaker. Imports in the sector of fibres and filaments decreased 14%. Russian producers of bags and big-bags cut down purchases of PP-homo produced by Turkmenbashynsky Refinery by 40%.

PP-impact imports went down by 27%, as well. Major volumes of PP-impact imports belong to feedstock of LyondellBasell and Borealis. About 65% of overall imports during January-June 2009 belonged to those companies.

PP-random imports increased 17% in the first half of 2009. Particularly, imports of Borealis’ PP-random went up by 3.5 times.