Review of the current situation of chlor-alkali import and export in the first half of 2024

Analysis of import and export volume of caustic sodaAccording to customs data, China's imports of caustic soda in the first half of 2024 were 10488.43 tons, down 46.55 percent from the same period last year, and the total import volume decreased by 9136 tons compared with the same period last year. Exports totaled 1360876.58 tons, down 4.44 percent from the same period last year, and the total export volume decreased by 63296.26 tons compared with the first half of last year.

On the whole, the export volume of caustic soda showed a decreasing trend in the first half of 2024. The main factors affecting the decrease of caustic soda export in the first half of 2024 are as follows: on the one hand,The price advantage of China's caustic soda export has declined.In the first half of the year, the market price of caustic soda in China as a whole showed a trend of rising first and then falling, while the price of 50% liquid caustic soda was relatively higher than that of overseas exports. China's export advantage is not obvious, and the shipping enthusiasm of domestic caustic soda enterprises has weakened; on the other hand, enterprisesExport profits on the low sideThe global production capacity has increased, the overseas supply has also gradually increased, and the import has decreased accordingly, which has restricted the export of domestic caustic soda enterprisesSea freight skyrocketedIt has led to structural changes in China's caustic soda export trade, and the inflow of China's caustic soda exports to some foreign areas has decreased.

Total amount of liquid alkali analysis:According to customs data, China's liquid alkali imports in the first half of 2024 were 6100.55 tons, down 60.59 percent from the same period last year, and the total import volume decreased by 9379.83 tons compared with the same period last year. The export volume was 1129332.05 tons, down 2.51 percent from the same period last year, and the total export volume decreased by 29100.59 tons compared with the first half of last year.

In the first half of 2024, South Korea imported 5864.104 tons of liquid alkali from South Korea, accounting for 96.12% of the total imports. China imported liquid alkali from South Korea very obviously in the first half of the year, especially in January and May. Britain ranked second, with imports of 93.03 tons, accounting for 1.52% of the total imports, and the number of imported countries rose to second from the fourth last year. Japan accounted for 31.74 tons, accounting for 0.52 percent of the total imports, and imports from Japan increased compared with last year.

In the first half of 2024, the top three countries of China's liquid alkali exports were Australia 496442.46 tons, accounting for 44% of the total exports; Indonesia 376710.17 tons, accounting for 33.39% of the total exports; and Taiwan 96581.84 tons, accounting for 8.56% of the total exports. Compared with the same period last year, the ranking of China's exports to Australia and Indonesia has not changed significantly, still ranking in the first and second countries, but exports to Australia have decreased to a certain extent compared with the same period last year. Exports to Nigeria have increased significantly, and exports to China and Taiwan have risen from the fourth to the third place last year.

Total solid alkali analysis:According to customs data, China's solid alkali imports in the first half of 2024 were 4387.88 tons, an increase of 5.88 percent over the same period last year, and the total import volume increased by 243.83 tons over the same period last year. Exports totaled 231544.53 tons, down 24.7 percent from the same period last year, and the total export volume decreased by 75937.56 tons compared with the first half of last year.

The top three countries that imported solid alkali in China in the first half of 2024 were Japan, Thailand and Poland, accounting for 74.23%, 9.85% and 6.02% respectively. Compared with the same period last year, Japan is still the largest importer to China in the first half of the year, with total imports from Thailand growing from the fourth last year to the second this year, while Poland firmly ranks third.

In the first half of 2024, the top three countries of China's solid alkali exports were Indonesia, accounting for 12.02% of the total exports, jumping from the third place last year to the largest country of China's exports this year. Vietnam 25851.35 tons, accounting for 11.16% of the total exports, the ranking of exports to Vietnam fell from the first in 2023 to the second. With 10218.88 tons, accounting for 4.41 percent of the total output, Namibia ranks among the top three countries in terms of China's exports this year.

Analysis of total liquid chlorine:According to customs data, China's liquid chlorine imports in the first half of 2024 were 113.4 tons, an increase of 1.72 percent over the same period last year, an increase of 1.92 tons over the same period last year, and exports of 22 tons, a decrease of 94.29 percent over the same period last year. Exports decreased by 363 tons compared with the same period last year.

Analysis of import and export countries of liquid chlorine:

In the first half of 2024, China imported liquid chlorine from Japan and South Korea, of which 93.9 tons were imported from Japan, accounting for 82.8% of the total imports, and 19.5 tons were imported from South Korea, accounting for 17.2% of the total imports.

In the first half of 2024, only South Korea was the exporter of liquid chlorine in China, with a total export volume of 22 tons.