Brazil's imports of polypropylene homopolymer products in December were down 63% year on year to 11,142 mt, data from the Ministry of Development and Foreign Trade showed Jan. 11. These imports were valued at $18.5 million FOB, down 45% year on year. A year earlier, the imports stood at 29,933 mt and were valued at $33.8 million FOB, the data showed. The leading exporter to Brazil in December was Argentina, representing 35% of the total, followed by Saudi Arabia with 29%, China, with 7% and Colombia with 6%. From January to December, PP homopolymer imports increased 26% in volume to 306,086 mt and jumped 77% in value at $467.7 million. The leading exporter to Brazil from January to December was Saudi Arabia, representing 35% of the total, followed by Argentina with 17%, Colombia with 12%, China with 12% and Taiwan with 3%. Year-on-year, most of the main exporter countries were the same: Saudi Arabia represented 33% of the total in the same period in 2020, followed by Colombia with 31%, Argentina with 12%, South Korea with 5% and Israel with 2%.
Exports up 19% in December
Brazilian exports of PP homopolymer products in December were up 19% on the year to 13,428 mt and were valued at $23.9 million FOB, 88% higher on year. A year earlier, the export volumes stood at 11,240 mt and was valued at $12.8 million FOB. In December, Argentina was the leading importer from Brazil with 21% of the total, followed by Bolivia with 13%, Ecuador with 9% and Paraguay with 15%. From January to December, PP homopolymer exports fell 38% in volume to 143,109 mt but increased 14% in value at $241 million. The leading importer from Brazil from January to December was Argentina, representing 26% of the total, followed by Colombia with 12%, Peru with 11%, Italy with 8% and Bolivia with 8%. In 2020, most of the main destinations of Brazilian PP homopolymer were: Argentina represented 20% of the total in the same period in 2020, followed by Italy with 13%, Peru with 13%, China with 12% and Belgium with 6%.