Price & Supply Trend: Production to be curtailed during heating season in China, pesticide technical market to remain slow but at a high price level

Date:08-23-2018

Market Status

In the week of August 20, 2018, the Chinese pesticide technical and intermediate market continued to be slow and production was still running at a lower capacity. In general, the market ran at a high price level, where the high cost of the industry chain was passed on in a top-down manner. A production curtailment plan was made, and off-peak production operation was gradually put in place. All business players are watching the market changes to be brought about by the implementation of the curtailment plan.

Herbicide Market

During this week, prices of glycine, acetic acid and paraformaldehyde remained high. Glyphosate technical was also quoted at a higher level. The demand for glufosinate-ammonium technical was, in general, rather weak, and stocks were rising. The diquat technical and formulations were found at a high stock level, while demand was not strong. Amide herbicides stayed generally stable. Sulfonylurea herbicides were in short supply, due to restricted production of the upstream intermediates. Their production was running at low capacity and the price remained high. Bentazone technical continued to be in short supply due to a shutdown of production in chemical parks, and the price rose to 120,000 yuan per ton. The higher price of resorcinol apparently backed up the prices of the oxyfluorfen technical and mesotrione technical. The price of the intermediate of haloxyfop-R-methyl technical stayed high, and its supply was rather short, being mostly for export.

Prices of some herbicides as below:

Product（TC）	Price（000 RMB/ton）
Glyphosate	27.5
Glufosinate-ammonium	170
Diquat	45
Acetochlor	24
Metolachlor	26.5
Nicosulfuron	270
Bensulfuron-methyl	280
Fomesafen	135
Clomazone	120
Atrazine	23

Insecticide Market

The abamectin technical series remained in short supply and prices stood stable at a high level. The prices of the nicotinic insecticide intermediates CCMP, ethyl N-cyanoethanimideate and imidazolidine still remained high, which are in general, quoted at a high level. The prices of the thiamethoxam technical and clothianidin technical also remained high, with production running at low capacity, and a shortage of supply. As an impact from the environmental pressure on the phoschemical industry, the price of phosphorus pentasulfide stayed high, which backed up the prices of the organophosphorus technical series. Its production is running at low capacity, and is generally in short supply. Spot goods of the downstream etoxazole technical, lufenuron technical, hexaflumuron technical and chlorfluazuron technical are all in short supply, as a result of the breakthrough of the historic price of intermediates and a very low-capacity running. The short supply is not expected to be relieved in a short time.

Prices of some insecticides as below:

Product（TC）	Price（000 RMB/ton）
Abamectin	730
Emamectin benzoate	1280
Imidacloprid	185
Acetamiprid	185
Thiamethoxam	125
Clothianidin	170
Malathion	26
Lambda-cyhalothrin	300

Fungicide Market

The production of the triazole technical was running at low capacity, while parachlorophenol was in short supply, the price of which stayed strong. There was a shortage of the difenoconazole technical, which was in short supply. The price of pyraclostrobin technical rebounded, resulting from the price rise of its intermediates and the increased shutdown of factories for maintenance. Benzofuran, the intermediate of azoxystrobin technical, was still in short supply. Carbendazim technical and thiophanate-methyl technical continued to be in short supply, which was due to the strict environmental compliance inspections of Ningxia. There was a great shortage of the fluazinam technical, attributable to the restricted supply of intermediates and low-capacity running when purchase orders were placed from downstream buyers.

Prices of some fungicides as below:

Product（TC）	Price（000 RMB/ton）
Difenoconazole	245
Propiconazole	135
Hexaconazole	170
Tebuconazole	135
Pyraclostrobin	230
Azoxystrobin	350
Carbendazim	38
Thiophanate-methyl	33
Fluazinam	300

Conclusion

Work safety and environmental compliance inspections still have a very important influence on the regulated operation of the industry. Off-peak production arrangement during the winter poses a new challenge to the whole industry. The low-season and low-capacity running of the conventional chemical industry is creating a serious conflict between supply and demand. The prices of the pesticide technical and intermediates are expected to still remain at a high level.

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