Soda Ash Export Prices Up 41.7%

Chinese export prices of soda ash rose to an average of US$ 224.5/tonne in the first quarter of 2008, up 41.7% over the same period 2007, according to customs statistics. China exported 467,000/t soda ash in teh first quarter, up 4.1% year-on-year. However, the total value surged 47.5% to US$ 100M. Average export prices gained 46% from US$ 158.9/tonne in May 2007 to US$ 231.8 in March/08. Export to Association of Southeast Asian Nations reached 258,000/t, accounting for more than half of the total volume, as ASEAN demand for chemical products kept increasing on growing manufacturing capacity and consumption, analysts said. The strong bargaining power of China in international markets was behind the major price rise, analysts said.