Summary: In Dec., new orders from downstream sectors have reduced and Chinese insecticide TC producers have lowered their operating rates. This month, the rate is about 5 percentage points lower than the figure in last month. In general, there have been sufficient supply of insecticides.

In Dec., Chinese insecticide TC producers have lowered their operating rates; the rate averages at around 55%, 5 percentage points lower than last month. For one thing, new orders have reduced as downstream demand has remained dull; for another, insecticide producers have had certain inventories. At the year end, these producers now are eager to to liquidate the inventories.

Organophosphorus insecticides: There has been large chlorpyrifos TC stock in the market, yet only a few new orders; the producers could use their inventories to fulfil the orders. Investigations show that Nanjing Red Sun Biochemical Co., Ltd. have spot supply, though it has not produced chlorpyrifos TC products in Dec. Regarding malathion TC, domestic producers have run their lines at low level, too. Mainly small orders to replenish stocks have been received by these producers.

Nicotinoid insecticides: Overall operating rates of most nicotinoid insecticides TC have declined in Dec., as orders for the nicotinoids have decreased. Investigations show that orders for imidacloprid TC shrank further during the late-Nov.–mid-Dec. period. Imidacloprid TC producers have mainly depended on overseas orders; domestic orders have been rare. For producers of acetamiprid TC, clothianidin TC and thiamethoxam TC, new orders have been small, mainly orders to replenish stocks, so these producers have no need to produce many products.

Pyrethroid insecticides: There has been sufficient supply of pyrethroid insecticides. Producers of pyrethroids have lower operating rates, compared with producers of other major categories. Yet the low-level operation is enough to meet market demand, since the demand is smaller in general.