According to data released by the National Development and Reform Commission recently, from January to February, the added value of the chemical industry increased by 2% year-on-year, and the growth rate dropped by 4 percentage points year-on-year. Among the main products, ethylene production was 2.81 million tons, which fell by 1.5%. The primary form of plastic production was 1320 Ten thousand tons, an increase of 2%; synthetic rubber output 1.05 million tons, an increase of 2.5%; synthetic fiber production 6.45 million tons, an increase of 3.3%. Output of caustic soda 5.74 million tons, an increase of 4.7%; production of soda ash 4.32 million tons, an increase of 2%. The output was 8.01 million tons, down 13.5%; among them, nitrogen fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer, and potash fertilizer decreased by 14.6%, 9.9%, and 16.1%, respectively. The output of pesticides was 460,000 tons, down 8.7%. The output of rubber tires and tires was 12.760 million, down 1.3%. Output was 4.13 million tons, down 2.9%.
Among the key monitored chemical products, prices of some products fell. In February, the average price of caustic soda (caproline) was 4,320 yuan/ton, which was 4% lower than last year, up 32.1% year-on-year; and soda 1,880 yuan/ton, compared with 12 years ago. The monthly decline was 23.3%, down 17.2% year-on-year. The urea was RMB 2010/ton, which was 2.6% higher than last December and 19.6% higher than the same period of last year. The domestic diammonium phosphate was RMB 2770/ton, which was 1.8% higher than last December and 14.5% higher than the same period of last year. Calcium carbide was 2,840 yuan/ton, which was 2.4% lower than last December and 7.6% year-on-year.