In 2012, China's total imports of solar-grade polysilicon reached 76,006 tons, according to the latest customs data. This marks a significant year-on-year increase of 29.84% from January to November. The monthly import volume in November stood at 5,772 tons, showing a slight rise of 0.59% compared to the previous month.
Despite this growth, the average import price for polysilicon hit a record low in November, falling to $20.39 per kilogram—a decrease of 12.9% compared to October. Over the first 11 months of the year, the average import price dropped to $25.76 per kilogram, which is 58.04% lower than the 2011 average. This decline reflects ongoing market pressures and oversupply conditions.
Looking at the sources of these imports, South Korea, the United States, and Germany accounted for 85.97% of China’s polysilicon imports in November. South Korea contributed 26.1%, the U.S. 40.3%, and Germany 19.5%. Import prices from South Korea and Germany decreased slightly compared to October, reaching $19.41/kg and $25.88/kg respectively. However, the U.S. saw a small rebound in import prices to $17.04/kg, still remaining the lowest among the three countries.
The Silicon Industry Branch attributes the drop in import prices to several factors, including China’s retrospective tax investigation and Germany’s need to clear large inventory stocks. As the year-end approached, major producers were pushing to meet sales targets, leading to aggressive pricing strategies. Notably, German imports fell by 1,127 tons in November, with the average price dropping to $25.88/kg. Despite WACKER’s production cuts—its capacity was reduced by 20% by the end of September—market demand remained weak, and overcapacity continued to pressure prices.
With the Ministry of Commerce launching a retrospective tax probe on polysilicon, it is expected that prices will stabilize in the near future, though any recovery is likely to be modest. The outcome of trade negotiations between China and the EU could significantly impact silicon material and photovoltaic component prices, making the market more complex moving forward.
On the export side, China shipped 410 tons of polysilicon in November, bringing the year-to-date total to 1,497 tons. This shows a relatively stable but modest export performance amid global supply chain challenges.Zinc Alloy,,Door Handle,Gold
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