By Xiao Ming

Based on GACC data (The General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China), this text shows the import and export of China’s natural and synthetic rubber latex (including carboxylic butadiene-styrene latex, styrene-butadiene latex, chloroprene latex, nitrile-butadiene rubber latex and unlisted synthetic latex) in 2022 regarding quantity, amount, import sources, export destinations, and trade ways.

Natural rubber latex

1. Import analysis

The imports of China’s natural rubber latex in 2022 climbed 19.79% year-on-year to 658 100 tons. Meanwhile, China mainly bought latex from Thailand and Vietnam with imports growing 29.56% year-on-year to 650 000 tons, holding 98.77% of total imports. And 451 700 tons were from Thailand, up 13.57% year-on-year, accounting for 68.64% totally, while the imports from Vietnam rose 90.67% year-on-year to 198 300 tons, equal to 30.13% of all imports.

China’s latex imports in 2022 were focused on Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Fujian, Shandong and Guangdong provinces and Shanghai, with the imports growing 21.79% to 551 700 tons, accounting for 83.83% totally. In the same time, China’s latex, whose imports grew 19.91% year-on-year to 652 900 tons, equal to 99.21% of overall imports, was dealt by general trade and processing with imported material, of which the imports by the former increased 20.13% year-on-year to 604 600 tons, holding 91.87% totally, while the imports by the latter grew 17.23% year-on-year to 48 300 tons, accounting for 7.34% overall.

2. Export analysis

China’s natural latex exports increased 88.40% year-on-year to 68 683 tons in 2022. During the same year, 54 164 tons of China’s latex were exported to North Korea, Russia and Vietnam, up 111.57% year-on-year, accounting for 78.86% of overall exports.

China’s latex exports of 469.08 tons in 2022 were mainly from Liaoning, Jiangsu, Shandong and Guangdong provinces, soaring 96.53% year-on-year and accounting for 68.30% overall. And Shandong was the largest province with exports surging 271.06% year-on-year to 236.40 tons, equal to 34.42% of total exports, followed by Jiangsu province with the exports blowing up 138.30% year-on-year to 89.34 tons, holding 13.01% of the total. Additionally, the exports of Liaoning province tumbled 53.06% year-on-year to 56.58 tons, accounting for 8.24% of overall exports. And the imports of Guangdong province rocketed 412.16% year-on-year to 86.76 tons, accounting for 12.63% of overall exports.

China’s latex export was mainly dealt by general trade and goods imported and exported in bonded and supervisory areas, with the exports expanding 136.23% to 571.81 tons, equal to 83.25% of overall exports.

Synthetic rubber latex

1. Carboxylic butadiene-styrene latex

The imports of China’s carboxylic butadiene-styrene latex (XSBRL for short) declined 28.05% year-on-year to 18 683.35 tons in 2022, and most of them were from Japan, Germany, South Korea and the US with the imports down 22.37% year-on-year to 17 417.70 tons, accounting for 93.23% totally. Among these 4 countries, Germany was the biggest import source with the imports up 41.66% to 2 221.78 tons, equal to 11.89% of overall imports, followed by Japan with the imports gaining 35.35% year-on-year to 2 131.51 tons, amounting to 11.41% totally. And the imports from South Korea shrank 34.49% year-on-year to 11 786.77 tons, representing 63.09% of total imports. Moreover, the imports from the US declined 1.79% year-on-year to 1 277.64 tons, holding 6.84% totally.

In the same year, China’s XSBRL imports were dominantly in Shanghai, Shandong and Jiangsu, with the imports declining 28.32% year-on-year to 17 769.64 tons, representing 95.11% of overall imports. The imports in Shandong province gained 54.14% year-on-year to 9 121.89 tons, accounting for 48.82% of overall imports. The imports in Shanghai shrank 16.94% year-on-year to 4 984.72 tons, holding 26.68% overall, and in Jiangsu province dropped 71.54% year-on-year to 3 663.03 tons, representing 19.61% of total imports. China’s XSBRL import in 2022 was motivated by general trade, with the imports tumbling 45.90% to 12 765.14 tons, accounting for 95.11% overall.

China's XSBRL exports rose 64.11% year-on-year to 16 617.20 tons in 2022, mainly sold to Pakistan, South Korea, Vietnam and Belarus with total exports rocketing 125.35% year-on-year to 13 265.83 tons, accounting for 79.83% of total exports. In 2022, China's XSBRL exports were mainly in Shanghai city, Zhejiang, Shandong, and Jiangsu provinces, with the exports increasing 61.13% year-on-year to 14 653.22 tons, holding 88.18% overall. And the exports, increasing 70.80% year-on-year to 15 985.11 tons, occupying 96.20% of the total, were dealt by general trade.

2. Butadiene-styrene latex

In 2022, the imports of styrene-butadiene latex (SBRL for short) in China reduced 8.11% year-on-year to 84 077.11 tons. And the imports were mainly from Germany, Japan, South Korea, Italy and the US, with the imports falling 2.75% year-on-year to 78 832.87 tons, accounting for 93.76% totally. Among them, Japan was the largest import source country, with the imports surging 43.78% year-on-year to 31 313.51 tons, accounting for 37.24% totally. The imports from Germany declined 37.70% year-on-year to 21 159.88 tons, accounting for about 25.17% of the total. In addition, the imports from South Korea increased 14.33% year-on-year to 14 330.20 tons, accounting for about 17.04% overall, and the imports from the US reduced 29.02% year-on-year to 6 586.83 tons, occupying 7.83% totally. While the imports from Italy expanded 55.20% year-on-year to 5 442.45 tons, holding 6.47% of the total imports.

The imports, reducing 5.90% year-on-year to 80 028.21 tons, were centered around Shanghai city, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong provinces, accounting for about 95.18% totally. In 2022, China's SBR imports were promoted by general trade and logistic goods in special customs supervision areas, falling 7.83% year-on-year to 82 300.82 tons, occupying 97.89% overall.

In 2022, SBRL exports in China jumped 8.04% year-on-year to 10 706.64 tons, with 8 609.58 tons exported to Hong Kong of China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia and Vietnam, occupying 80.41% of overall exports and up 47.79% from the previous year. Among them, Vietnam was the largest export destination, with the exports up 17.23% year-on-year to 3 493.56 tons, accounting for about 32.63% of the total exports. Hong Kong of China came in second, with the exports expanding 15.62% year-on-year to 1 590.47 tons, accounting for about 14.85% of the total. Furthermore, 1 155.17 tons were sold to Indonesia, accounting for 10.79% of the total exports, an increase of 5.20% year-on-year. The exports to Malaysia were up 14.41% year-on-year to 1 543.14 tons, accounting for about 14.41% overall. And the exports to Russia rose 230.75% year-on-year to 827.24 tons, accounting for about 7.73% totally.

China's SBRL exports, reaching 10 014.98 tons and occupying 93.54% of total exports in 2022, were mostly from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong and Guangdong provinces. The export was in the form of general trade, with exports rising 8.71% year-on-year to 10 608.08 tons, accounting for about 99.08% totally.

3. Chloroprene latex 

China’s chloroprene latex (CL for short) imports in 2022 were 4 386.09 tons, up 13.14% year-on-year, most of which were from Japan and Germany, with the imports going up 15.63% year-on-year to 4 246.29 tons, occupying 96.81% of total imports. And the imports from Japan expanded 75.03% year-on-year to 2 810.85 tons, holding 64.09% of all imports, while the imports from Germany declined 30.53% year-on-year to 1 435.44 tons, accounting for 32.73% overall.

China’s CL imports in 2022 focused on Shanghai city, Anhui and Guangdong provinces, increasing 13.75% year-on-year to 4 330.02 tons, occupying 98.72% of total imports. And the import was stimulated by general trade, with the imports up 15.41% year-on-year to 4 243.94 tons, occupying 96.76% of overall imports.

In the same time, China’s CL exports rocketed 250.07% year-on-year to 617.81 tons, with 570.67 tons upsurging 335.86% year-on-year sold to Russia and India, which occupied 92.37% of total exports.  And the exports to India declined 44.42% year-on-year to 72.77 tons, equal to 11.78% of total exports. While the exports to Russia were 497.90 tons, holding 80.59% totally (Zero export to Russia in 2021). 

Furthermore, China’s CL exports in 2022 were primarily in Zhejiang province and Chongqing city, with 446.24 tons occupying 72.23% of overall exports (Zero export in 2021 from above regions). And 147.00 tons were from Zhejiang province, occupying 23.79% of total exports, while 299.24 tons came from Chongqing city, holding 48.44% of the total.

And China’s CL export in 2022 was promoted by general trade, with 558.31 tons sold abroad, surging 216.38% and accounting for 90.37% of overall exports. 

4. Nitrile-butadiene rubber latex

China’s nitrile-butadiene rubber latex (NBR for short) imports in 2022 were down 41.59% year-on-year to 91 098.58 tons. And the imports, slumping 39.64% year-on-year to 83 914.77 tons occupying 92.11% overall, were mostly from Malaysia and South Korea, with the imports from the former were down 53.43% year-on-year to 12 653.00 tons, accounting for 13.89% of overall imports, and the latter declined 36.29% from one year before to 71 261.77 tons, holding 78.22% of total imports. The regions in need of CL were mostly in Jiangxi, Anhui and Shandong provinces, whose imports decreased 21.74% to 59 810.30 tons, occupying 65.65% of overall imports. And the import was mostly motivated by general trade and processing with imported material, with the imports declining 44.05% year-on-year to 87 133.74 tons, holding 95.65% of the total.

China's NBR exports in 2022 fell 74.50% year-on-year to 35 984.48 tons, most of which were exported to Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and Algeria with the exports reducing 72.38% year-on-year to 33 373.66 tons, totally accounting for about 92.74%. Among them, Malaysia was the largest export destination, with 24 668.65 tons holding 68.55% of total exports, down about 76.83% year-on-year. Followed by Sri Lanka, the exports fell 4.36% year-on-year to 3 394.06 tons, accounting for 9.43% of all exports. Moreover, the exports to Turkey were up 2.42% year-on-year to 1 048.80 tons, accounting for 2.91% of total exports, and to Vietnam were down 82.81% year-on-year to1 440.81 tons, occupying 4.00% overall. And 1 039.46 tons were sold to the UAE, accounting for about 2.89% of the total, an increase of 6.07% year-on-year, while 1 781.88 tons, equal to 4.95% of overall exports were exported to Algeria, surging 304.97% from one year before. In 2022, China's NBR exports were mainly in Hebei, Zhejiang, Anhui and Shandong provinces, slumping 66.69% year-on-year to 34 536.32 tons, equal to 95.98% of total exports. The NBR exports were mostly prompted by general trade, shrinking 74.53% year-on-year to 35 931.36 tons and accounting for about 99.85% of the total export volume.

5. Unlisted synthetic latex

China’s unlisted synthetic latex imports in 2022 increased 0.87% year-on-year to 6 537.51 tons.

China’s unlisted synthetic latex, mostly imported from Japan and Taiwan of China, had imports rising 12.72% year-on-year to 5 592.52 tons in 2022. Guangdong province and Shanghai were in need of most of imports, with 5 268.59 tons imported, expanding 4.75% year-on-year and occupying 80.59% overall. In the same year, China’s unlisted synthetic latex was motivated by general trade and processing with imported material, with the imports rising 5.63% year-on-year to 6 533.91 tons, equal to 99.94% of overall imports.

In 2022, China's unlisted synthetic latex exports fell 18.79% year-on-year to 4 968.26 tons, most of which were exported to Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Belgium, a decrease of 5.40% year-on-year to 4 537.89 tons, accounting for 91.34% overall. Shanghai owned most of exports, with 4 782.22 tons holding 96.26% of total exports, down 19.04% year-on-year.

In 2022, China's exports of unlisted synthetic latex were mainly prompted by general trade, with the exports upsurging 420.90% to 4 594.96 tons, accounting for about 92.49% of the total.

Summary

From the above analysis, China's natural latex imports increased 19.79% from one year before, mainly from Thailand and Vietnam. And import destinations were concentrated in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Fujian, Shandong and Guangdong. The import was dealt by general trade and processing with imported material. In 2022, China's natural latex exports increased 88.40% year-on-year, and the products were mainly exported to North Korea, Russia and Vietnam. Export sources were primarily in Liaoning, Jiangsu, Shandong and Guangdong provinces, and the export was mostly in the form of general trade and goods entering and goods imported and exported in bonded and supervisory areas.

In 2022, the imports of synthetic latex, dealt by general trade and processing with imported material, in China tumbled 27.84% year-on-year to 204 800 tons, mainly from Japan, Germany, Malaysia, South Korea and the US, with import destinations of Jiangxi, Shandong, Anhui, Shanghai and Jiangsu and other provinces and cities. In the same period, China's synthetic latex exports dropped 58.84% year-on-year to 68 900 tons, with products sold to Hong Kong of China, Pakistan, South Korea, Vietnam and Malaysia. While export sources were mainly in Hebei, Shandong, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, and the export was carried out by general trade. China’s synthetic latex imports will further drop with domestic NBR and SBR equipment added or expanded.