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Polystyrene: top exporters and importers (2024)

In 2024, world trade in polystyrene totaled $20.5 billion (12 million tonnes). The top exporters were South Korea (17%), Taiwan (12%) and China (8%); the top importers were China (15%), the United States (7%) and Germany (5%). Compared with 2019, the value fell 7%.

Summary

World trade
$20.5billion
Tonnes
12million tonnes
Price per tonne
$1,708
The largest flows between countries. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Top exporters

  1. South Korea$3.5 billion · 17.2%
  2. Taiwan$2.5 billion · 12.4%
  3. China$1.6 billion · 7.7%
  4. Germany$1.5 billion · 7.4%
  5. Belgium$1.4 billion · 7.1%
    re-exports
  6. United States$1.3 billion · 6.4%
  7. Netherlands$1 billion · 5%
    re-exports
  8. Malaysia$832 million · 4.1%
  9. Japan$672 million · 3.3%
  10. France$584 million · 2.9%
  11. Mexico$530 million · 2.6%
  12. Thailand$424 million · 2.1%
  13. Italy$392 million · 1.9%
  14. Austria$338 million · 1.7%
  15. Singapore$336 million · 1.6%
    re-exports
  16. Spain$290 million · 1.4%
  17. Turkey$277 million · 1.4%
  18. Saudi Arabia$262 million · 1.3%
  19. Iran$222 million · 1.1%
  20. Poland$220 million · 1.1%

Top importers

  1. China$3 billion · 14.7%
  2. United States$1.4 billion · 6.6%
  3. Germany$1.1 billion · 5.5%
  4. Mexico$1 billion · 4.9%
  5. Vietnam$996 million · 4.9%
  6. Poland$952 million · 4.6%
  7. Turkey$712 million · 3.5%
  8. Italy$710 million · 3.5%
  9. Malaysia$515 million · 2.5%
  10. Thailand$494 million · 2.4%
  11. India$489 million · 2.4%
  12. France$443 million · 2.2%
  13. Brazil$437 million · 2.1%
  14. Spain$406 million · 2%
  15. Canada$394 million · 1.9%
  16. Indonesia$385 million · 1.9%
  17. United Kingdom$355 million · 1.7%
  18. Hungary$348 million · 1.7%
  19. Hong Kong$341 million · 1.7%
    re-exports
  20. Czechia$260 million · 1.3%

Trend

Who sells it

South Korea has been the top exporter since 2022

Value in USD billions. The five largest exporters in 2024.

  • South Korea 3.5
  • Taiwan 2.5
  • China 1.6
  • Germany 1.5
  • Belgium 1.4

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Country19952024
South Korea0.933.5
Taiwan1.92.5
China0.091.6
Germany1.61.5
Belgium0.931.4

Price

Implied price

The price per tonne rose 22% since 1995

Current US dollars per tonne: value over the weight reported by BACI.

  • 2024: $1,708

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearUSD per tonne
1995$1,397
1996$1,180
1997$1,141
1998$1,052
1999$969
2000$1,167
2001$1,066
2002$1,064
2003$1,165
2004$1,363
2005$1,485
2006$1,586
2007$1,792
2008$1,903
2009$1,510
2010$1,809
2011$2,078
2012$2,064
2013$2,142
2014$2,123
2015$1,708
2016$1,577
2017$1,790
2018$1,876
2019$1,569
2020$1,397
2021$2,030
2022$2,139
2023$1,749
2024$1,708

What it includes

  • 3903 · Polystyrene

Products in the same chapter

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

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