China’s export scale of adipic acid (AA) in the second quarter of 2024 remains considerable. Customs data shows that the export volume of China’s AA, its salts and esters from April 1 to June 30, 2024 totaled 136,100 tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 25.85%.

The monthly volumes of China’s AA exports from April to June showed significant year-on-year growths. Despite the high export volumes in the same period in 2023, China’s AA exports in the second quarter of 2024 remained strong.

Figure 1: Monthly Export Volumes of China’s AA, its Salts and Esters 2023-2024 (tonne)

In the second quarter of 2024, the top 10 export destinations for China’s AA showed slight changes compared to 2023. Pakistan, ranked ninth in 2023, was replaced by Russia this year, reflecting minor adjustments in the global demand pattern. The top 3 destinations in the second quarter of 2024 were the Netherlands, Singapore, and Turkey. Singapore and Turkey were among the top 3 export destinations last year as well, indicating their strong and stable demand. The Netherlands, rising from seventh place last year to first place this year, demonstrates significant growth in its demand for Chinese AA products. 

Table 1: Top 10 Export Destinations for China’s AA, Its Salts and Esters in Q2 2024

Although the volume of China’s AA exports in the second quarter of 2024 increased, the average export price declined to USD 1,247/tonne, a year-on-year decrease of 4.17%.

AA Imports in Q2 2024

Currently, there is a surplus of AA supply in China, and imports are primarily for meeting demands in customization of high-end products. In the second quarter of 2024, China’s AA imports continued to decline. The volume of China’s AA imports from April 1 to June 30 was 1,780.34 tonnes, a 29% decrease from a year earlier.

Figure 2: Monthly Import Volumes of China’s AA, its Salts and Esters 2023-2024 (tonne)

In the quarter, South Korea was still the largest import source, contributing 48% of China’s total imports. Germany, the U.S., Japan, and France maintained relatively stable rankings. Italy saw a remarkable increase in AA exports to China,which overtook Taiwan as the fourth-largest import source compared to the same period last year.

Table 2: Top 6 Import Sources of China’s AA, Its Salts and Esters in Q2 2024