Brazil’s commodity polymer imports have surged 86% over the past three years—from 648,000 tons in April 2022 YTD to 1.2 million tons through April 2025—with polyethylene and polypropylene accounting for the bulk of the volume. That trend may be reversing.

Through April 2025, ethylene polymer imports were down 14% YTD, totaling 618,000 tons. LDPE/LLDPE fell 22% (153,000 tons). HDPE dropped 14% (207,000 tons), and EAOC was down 12% (226,000 tons).

Propylene polymer imports declined 15% (218,000 tons YTD), with homopolymer down 18% (145,000 tons) and copolymers down 11% (69,000 tons).

Multiple factors are at play: economic headwinds such as high interest rates and slowing industrial activity have likely contributed. But trade policy is also a driver. In late 2024, Brazil raised import duties on several polymers, including polyethylene and polypropylene, from 12.6% to 20%, and launched an anti-dumping investigation targeting U.S. and Canadian imports (S&P Global).

Following these moves, imports from the U.S., Canada, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea declined significantly for both PE and PP. In contrast, imports from Argentina—which is exempt under the MERCOSUR agreement—rose by double digits. Egypt, which has a Free Trade Agreement with MERCOSUR, also saw astronomical gains in exports to Brazil for both polymers.

Source: International Trader Publications’ World Trade Analyses, based on statistics from all available reporting countries.