In the first half of 2024, China’s isopropyl alcohol exports were 93,300 tons, a year-on-year increase of 27.60%. Since the 130,000 tons/year isopropyl alcohol plant of Hengli Petrochemical was put into operation at the end of 2023 and the 60,000 tons/year isopropyl alcohol plant of Qingdao Bay was put into operation in January 2024, domestic production has increased, and domestic enterprises have been actively seeking export directions and expanding export volume to alleviate domestic supply pressure.
In the first half of 2024, China’s isopropanol export volume reached its highest point in March, with an export volume of 21333.72 tons, an increase of 2.13% year-on-year, and an average price of $1080.39 / ton, mainly due to the concentrated delivery of shipping orders after the Spring Festival and the active inquiry of Indian foreign investors under the background of India’s anti-dumping policy investigation. June was the low export volume, exports in 9656.39 tons, June is the traditional off-season, the demand is depressed, and the average export price of 1136.39 US dollars/ton, the US dollar price is high, so the export volume is the lowest in the first half of the year.
In the first half of 2024, the average export price of isopropyl alcohol in China is higher than that in 2023, mainly due to the high price of pure benzene in the first half of 2024, the high cost is difficult to transfer, and the trend of phenol products is not good. Therefore, phenolic ketone enterprises are mostly in the loss moment, so that acetone is mostly in the high price moment in the first half of the year, and the average price in the first half of the year is 7515.57 yuan/ton, which is +33.23% year-on-year. The cost is high, which makes the domestic isopropyl alcohol price high and volatile in the first half of the year, so the FOB price is high.
Through comparative analysis, India’s export volume in the first half of 2024 increased by 69.57% year-on-year, India’s isopropyl alcohol import quota restrictions on China expired in April 2024, although India’s anti-dumping investigation on China’s isopropyl alcohol, but the final ruling has not landed, the impact of the news surface has been reduced, and India’s buying has gradually resumed. In the first half of the year, Chinese exporters to Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore increased exports, up 14.83%, 103.96%, 1.26%, 2103.84%.
