The market for trichloromethane significantly declined in April. According to data from Business Society, as of April 27th, the price of trichloromethane bulk water in Shandong Province was 2362 yuan/ton, a slight decrease of 11.68% from 2675 yuan/ton at the beginning of the month. The price of raw material methanol fluctuates weakly, and the cost support for trichloromethane is weak; The price of downstream refrigerant R22 slightly decreased at the end of the month, and there is a strong demand for support for trichloromethane but no new support; Methane chloride production fluctuates slightly, while the supply of trichloromethane is generally loose; At the beginning of the month, the market for trichloromethane declined due to the decrease in methanol prices and the restart of the Meilan plant; Afterwards, the supply and demand of trichloromethane remained stagnant until the end of the month, and the factory prices of enterprises were significantly reduced. The market situation for ammonium chloride decreased significantly at the end of the month.

In April, there was a slight fluctuation in the start of trichloromethane production, and overall supply pressure was high.

In April, the price of raw material methanol narrowed and stabilized, while the cost support for trichloromethane was weak. According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Business Society, as of April 27th, the spot price of methanol was 2488 yuan/ton, a decrease of 2.86% from 2561 yuan/ton at the beginning of the month. The high point during the cycle was 2571 yuan/ton, and the low point was 2401 yuan/ton.

In April, the price of R22 remained strong in the early stage and slightly declined in the later stage. At the beginning of the month, support for chloroform was strong and weak in the later stage. However, as the peak season passes, support for chloroform may weaken again in the later stage. Overall, the total production quota for R22 in 2023 will be reduced by 19% to 181800 tons.

Analysts from Business Society’s methane chloride data believe that although there is currently support in the demand side for trichloromethane, with the end of the later peak season, support may weaken, coupled with pressure on the supply side, it is expected that the trichloromethane market will be weak and consolidate in the short term.