Glyphosate exports from China have continued the upwards trend from the end of 2016 in the first month of 2017. The biggest increase was seen hereby for glyphosate formulation. Furthermore, news from the EU about keeping the classification of glyphosate as non-genetic and non-toxic should have an encouraging effect on China’s manufacturers and traders.
Source: Pixabay
The export volume of the whole glyphosate products in China has witnessed another growth in the first month of 2017. According to trade analysis firm Tranalysis, the total export volume has been 84,711 tonnes in January, divided into 20,888 tonnes of glyphosate technical, 4,939 tonnes of PMIDA, and 58,884 tonnes of glyphosate formulation. This represents a month on month increase of 9.8% and a year on year increase of even 19.4%.
However, the export development of the different glyphosate exports has shown different trends. Due to the fact that glyphosate formulation is the most exported glyphosate product in China, the upward trend of it has led to the overall rising trend of glyphosate exports in China. However, glyphosate technical showed a significant decline in exports in 2016, while PMIDA exports remained to recover after the fall in 2016.
Export volumes of glyphosate products in China, Jan. 2017
Source: CCM and China Customs
The biggest growth of export volume was witnessed by glyphosate formulation. This product showed an increase by 28.42% compared to December 2016 and significant 52.58% compared to January 2016.
Glyphosate technical exports, on the other hand, endured a decline in a month on month as well as year on year comparison. The export volume of 20,888 tonnes in January 2017 represents a drop by 21.37% from December and 19.4% from January 2016.
The export of PMIDA in January 2017 continued the recovering trend with a month of month rise by 4.15% The volume still shows a significant decline of 23.62% compared to last year, though.
Looking at the export price of all three glyphosate products, it showed an increase in every aspect. Both, year on year and month on month comparison witnessed a growth in export price for all products.
Export prices of glyphosate products in China, Jan. 2017
Source: CCM and China Customs
According to Tranalysis, the glyphosate products from China has been exported to 79 countries in January of 2017. The export destination for PMIDA was mainly the USA and Argentina, accounting for about 87% of all exports together. Glyphosate technical from China has been exported to 29 countries in total, of which the USA, Brazil, and Argentina are the biggest destinations with a share of 50%. The USA hereby was already responsible for 25% of China’s total export volume, while Brazil and Argentina got a share of 13% and 12%, respectively. The ten biggest destination countries already accounted for 90% of the total export volume.
The top three glyphosate technical exporters in China can be found in Jiangsu Yangnong, Sichuan Fuhua Tongda, and Nantong Jiangshan with a share of export volume by 10%, 16%, and 15% respectively.
The top exporting manufacturer of glyphosate formulations has been Zhejiang Wynca, followed by Jiangsu Good Harvest-Weien, and Nantong Jiangshan. The shares of the total export volume are hereby 19%, 11%, and 8% respectively.
Glyphosate carcinogenic events
It is worth mentioning, that the Risk Assessment Committee by the European Chemicals Agency has confirmed on March 15, 2017, that the classification of glyphosate will not be changed into carcinogenic, mutagenic, or genetic toxic. In addition to that, the EPA in the USA is also working on an internal report stating, that glyphosate may not be carcinogenic.
As a fact, China uses most of the produced glyphosate technical for export. The glyphosate export is critical for the glyphosate consumption of Chinese glyphosate manufacturers, and the export of glyphosate also plays a decisive role in Chinese pesticide export market.
However, the fate of glyphosate ushered in the small twists in 2015 and turns - the international agency for research on cancer of the World Health Organization (WHO) defined glyphosate as a possible human carcinogen. And with the increase of negative reports and public opinion on the glyphosate insecurity from outside world and the reassessments on glyphosate of some international agencies, all become one of the many uncertainty factors for glyphosate's future market. The storm of glyphosate's toxicity faces all sorts of questions in the world and is also inevitably forming a threat to China’s glyphosate export.
That’s why the conclusion of glyphosate's safety by European and American authorities is bound to affect the safety assessments of glyphosate of other countries or relevant authority organisations. From the point of long-term interests, though the EU countries are not major exporters of glyphosate in China, the conclusion made by the authorities will not only remove the obstacles for glyphosate registration in Europe but is definitely beneficial for China's future glyphosate export market.
About Tranalysis
Tranalysis is an intelligence and analysis provider on import/export data covering over 15 industries in China. For more trade information of pesticides, including Import and Export analysis as well as Manufacturer to Buyer Tracking, contact our experts in trade analysis to get your answers today.
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