In March, the prices of plastics and other synthetic materials in the domestic market rose slightly, and the average monthly prices of high-pressure polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyester chips in 36 large and medium-sized cities were 13,840 yuan (ton price, the same below), and 12,678 yuan. , 7882 yuan, 11965 yuan, up 7.22%, 4.62%, 11.64%, 6.49% over the same period last year; soda ash and other prices rose faster, the average monthly prices of pure benzene, methanol, industrial soda ash, butadiene rubber were 8881 Yuan, 3444 yuan, 2101 yuan, and 20988 yuan, up by 9.57%, 7.16%, 30.74%, and 21.68% respectively over the same period of last year; the price of agricultural chemical products rose more than the price of industrial chemical products, urea, diammonium phosphate, shed films, The monthly average price of mulching film was 2020 yuan, 4,000 yuan, 15,110 yuan and 14,420 yuan respectively, which was 9.78%, 52.09%, 10.29%, 10.16% higher than the same period of last year.
The high prices of crude oil and other energy and raw materials have increased the production costs of chemical companies. Since March, the closing price of crude oil futures in the New York market has remained at a price level of more than US$100 per barrel, due to tensions in the geopolitical situation, depreciation of the US dollar, global inflation, market speculation and other factors. Crude oil prices will continue to remain high. Poor weather, limited stocks, and increased demand in Asia have pushed the international spot price of coal to rise by more than 50% in the past five months, exceeding the rate of increase in oil prices. Factors such as rising food prices have also increased the cost of labor for enterprises.
However, due to the ease of tension in the market supply and demand, to a certain extent, inhibited the rise in the price of chemicals. During the snow disaster, due to restrictions on raw materials, electricity, and transportation, the production activities of some chemical companies were greatly affected, but they have basically been restored. The phenomenon of short-term supply imbalance has improved to a great extent, and the operating rate of some enterprises has improved. Maintain a high level. At present, the production rate of mulching film is maintained at more than 90%, and most of the mulching equipments in Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong and other places are close to full-line startup.
Higher product prices have also led to insufficient market spending. At present, the agricultural spring plowing production has begun and consumption of fertilizers has entered the peak season. However, due to the higher prices of fertilizers, some farmers have significantly less enthusiasm to purchase. According to the price monitoring agency in Jilin, most farmers are still watching and trading in the fertilizer market is light. Market participants believe that farmers will reduce the amount of chemical fertilizers this year, or seek to use low-concentration fertilizers instead of high-concentration fertilizers to save costs. In addition, as the income from planting cotton is lower than that of other agricultural products, this year's cotton planting area has declined, which has also affected the demand for agricultural film to some extent.
Chemical market encounters two attacks
Under the strong support of increasing costs of energy, raw materials, labor, and logistics, domestic chemical product prices generally continued to rise in March, and prices of individual products rose rapidly. Compared with the previous period, the situation of tight supply and strong demand has changed, causing some products to face the dilemma of increasing upstream cost pressures and increasing resistance to downstream shifts. It is expected that the general level of chemical product prices will show a trend of shock adjustment in the near future.