Executive Summary: From January to April 2026, China's DOP export volume increased by 6.68% year-on-year, reaching a cumulative total of 53,100 tons. The April export volume recorded the highest monthly level in recent years, while imports remained persistently low, with the cumulative volume standing at just 300 tons.

1. Overview of Import and Export Data

In April 2026, China's DOP import volume was 66.71 tons, down 55.35% month-on-month and 1.38% year-on-year. The cumulative import volume from January to April was 287.86 tons, up 15.01% year-on-year. DOP imports continued to maintain low volumes, with domestic supply still dominating the market.

In April 2026, China's DOP exports performed notably well, with a single-month export volume of 20,290.47 tons, up 58.42% month-on-month and 41.75% year-on-year, setting a new historical monthly export peak. The cumulative export volume from January to April reached 53,100 tons, an increase of 6.68% year-on-year, which appropriately alleviated some local market supply pressures.

2. Export Structure Analysis

From January to April, China's DOP exports were distributed to 74 destination countries and regions. Among the top 15 countries, the combined export volume was 39,800 tons, accounting for 75% of the total.

In 2026, the top export destination was Egypt, with a volume of 9,102.2 tons, accounting for 17.13%. The second was Peru, with 4,361.72 tons, accounting for 8.21%. The third was Kenya, with 3,522.6 tons, accounting for 6.63%. Nigeria ranked fourth, with 3,182.96 tons, accounting for 5.99%.

Shandong recorded the highest shipment volume among provincial origins, accounting for 34.67%. Zhejiang Province rose to second place in 2026, with a share of 14.84%, while Fujian Province ranked third, accounting for about 10%. From January to April, Shandong's production volume was 169,300 tons, with exports accounting for approximately 11%. The outflow of goods significantly alleviated regional competitive pressure.

3. Trend Forecast

(1) Influencing Factors:

The development of China's DOP export market has matured, with the core export destination structure remaining stable. International spot prices fluctuated widely from March to April: at the beginning of March, overseas prices surged due to geopolitical events, and many earlier export orders were in pending shipment status. In April, product quotes fell from their highs, enhancing the cost-effectiveness of domestic supplies and significantly benefiting foreign trade order signing and shipments. Combined with weakening domestic downstream demand and shrinking domestic orders in mid-to-late April, inventory pressure in the industry rose sharply. The surge in exports effectively reduced factory stockpiles and eased domestic spot supply tensions.

(2) Trend Forecast:

In May-June, the domestic DOP market enters its traditional off-season. New orders from downstream end-users gradually decrease, overall procurement remains weak, and the domestic market sees dull trading with a significant lack of demand. The DOP market is characterized by a declining center of gravity and continuously weakening prices. The low domestic spot prices further highlight the cost advantage of domestic supplies, facilitating new order signings with foreign traders and continuously expanding the scope for export order follow-ups. On the cost side, international crude oil remains high, raising global chemical raw material costs and putting pressure on overseas production costs. Some overseas factories face constrained raw material supply, and the price spread between domestic and international markets continues to widen, further strengthening the price advantage of China's DOP exports. The outlook for DOP exports is positive, with monthly export volumes expected to remain at a high range. Exports continue to serve as a key support to hedge against inventory pressure during the domestic off-season.