Sulfur imports at Huangdao Port exceeded 400,000 tons in the first 5 months

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Sulfur imports at Huangdao Port exceeded 400,000 tons in the first 5 months June 15, 2012, 08:55 China National Gate Times As the largest sulfur import port in northern China, Huangdao Port in Shandong Province imported 291 shipments of sulfur totaling 415,000 tons in the first 5 months of this year, with a value of $83.6 million. The main countries from which this sulfur was imported were Russia, Turkmenistan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. Adjustments to tax policies and demand from downstream markets have driven sulfur imports. 　　As a major imported resource commodity, starting from January 1 this year, China’s tariff on sulfur imports was reduced from 3% to 1%, which lowered the cost of importing sulfur and contributed to an increase in its import volume. Furthermore, the main industrial use of sulfur is in the production of sulfuric acid, which is an important raw material for manufacturing phosphate fertilizers. In recent years, the production capacity of phosphate fertilizers in China has been increasing, which has contributed to rising demand for sulfur in the domestic market. It is reported that, affected by factors such as the recent decline in international crude oil prices and the off-season for fertilizer exports, most domestic sulfur traders are holding back from making decisions and waiting for the peak trading period in autumn. Statistics show that the sulfur inventory at the Huangdao port has reached 160,000 tons, with the sulfur stored in containers amounting to about 20,000 tons.