Pulp import volume into China's Guangdong Port up 40.6% year-over-year during January-November 2009; after June's record high for 2009 of 156,000 tonnes, imports ease and level off

Dec 24, 2009 — ChinaPaperOnline.com

BEIJING, December 24, 2009 (ChinaPaperOnline.com) — During January-November 2009, 1.203 million tonnes of pulp were imported through Guangdong Port, up 40.6% over the same period last year, according to data released by Guangzhou Customs on Dec. 18.

Guangdong Port pulp import volume surged to 156,000 tonnes in June compared to 94,000 tonnes in January, setting a record high in monthly imports for the year.

During July–November, pulp imports into Guangdong Port lingered between 100,000-130,000 tonnes each month. In November, 113,000 tonnes of pulp were imported, doubling the figure from a year earlier.

The average pulp import price in Guangdong Port increased to US$540 per tonne in November from $458/tonne in January, surging 17.9% from January to November, but slipping 17.7% in November compared to a year earlier.

During January-November 2009, pulp imported from Latin America, Canada and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries accounted for 68.4% in total pulp imports into Guangdong Port.

Of this, 409,000 tonnes were imported from Latin America and 264,000 tonnes were imported from Canada, increasing 1.9 times and 25%, respectively, year-over-year.

In the same period, 151,000 tonnes were imported from ASEAN countries and 129,000 tonnes were imported from the U.S., slipping 10.1% and 9%, respectively, year-over-year. On top of that, 103,000 tonnes were imported from Europe, an increase of 3.6 times year-over-year.

Based on analysis from Guangzhou Customs, the economic pickup in China buoyed prosperity of the paper sector, which increased demand for pulp.

In addition, although international pulp prices were increasing since April or May, they did not hit the level of the same period in 2008; therefore, pulp prices in international markets were still relatively low.

All news reports are copyrighted by the respective papers.