Exports of LDPE to Asia and Africa rise.

Middle East exports of LLDPE totaled over 500 K tons through first quarter 2012, up 8%. Although shipments to Asia-Pacific accounted for roughly half the total, volume to that destination was up only 1% from last year.  Eastern Europe, however, was a particularly high growth export destination, up 27%, Turkey, Poland and Ukraine growth markets in the region; exports to Western Europe grew 7%; small volumes to Latin America jumped 85%.

Exports of HDPE from the Middle East surged to over 1 M tons for the quarter, up 24% on strong gains to Asia-Pacific, up 26%, and Eastern Europe, up 38%, and more moderate increases to Western Europe and Latin America, both up 11%. All of the exporting countries monitored in the region, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and Iran, shipped higher volumes. Iran’s exports were up 19%, top volume and growth destinations including China, Turkey and Belgium.

Middle East exports of LDPE grew 12%, to over 550 K tons, on a 13% increase to Asia-Pacific and a 120% rise on smaller volumes to Africa, which offset moderate declines to Europe.