Imports of Polypropylene into both Western Europe and Eastern Europe Plummeted in April 2022. YTD, Western Europe’s Imports were up; Eastern Europe’s Fell.

Two months into the war in Ukraine, import statistics for Western and Eastern Europe show different trends in imports from Russia on a YTD basis. Monthly import figures, however, show a sharp drop in April into both regions.

Although Russia stopped reporting trade statistics after January 2022, the country’s exports are visible from trading partner import statistics. Exports totaled 216,000 tons through April, 2022, down 15% from 254,000 tons in April 2021 (excludes Vietnam).

Imports from Russia into Western Europe rose to 74,000 tons April YTD, up from 57,000 tons, mainly on higher volumes reported into Belgium. Imports into Eastern Europe fell to 132,000 tons, down from 170,000 tons, mainly on lower volumes into Turkey.

The monthly import trend, however, shows a sharp decline in volume in April for both regions:

From International Trader Publications’ Polypropylene World Trade Analysis, a continuously updated analysis of trade between countries and regions based on statistics from all available countries.