# Purified terephthalic acid: Movement

Bulk bags of powder from China to India and Turkey

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/movement/

What this tab covers How it moves between countries: share of output traded, physical form and transport, the largest exporters and importers, main routes, India's trade, and handling rules in transit.

#### Trade in 2024 UN Comtrade, HS 291736
 World exports $7.56 bn 35 reporting exporters · about 9.81 m t Largest exporter China 42.1% of world exports Largest importer Türkiye 23.2% of world imports India imports $1.56 bn
exports $6.36 m #2 importer · #12 exporter

#### Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024

Chart: World map of the largest trade flows
 Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, HS 291736: shares of reported world exports and imports by value. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.

#### HS 291736: largest exporters

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **China** | 42.1% | $3.18 bn | 4.42 m |
| **South Korea** | 21.7% | $1.64 bn | 2.20 m |
| **Thailand** | 11.8% | $889.9 m | 1.20 m |
| **Canada** | 6.5% | $492.2 m | 314k |
| **Belgium** | 6.4% | $485.6 m | 584k |
| **Poland** | 4.1% | $311.3 m | 387k |
| **Indonesia** | 3% | $224.8 m | 306k |
| **Malaysia** | 2.3% | $171.2 m | 220k |

#### HS 291736: largest importers

| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Türkiye** | 23.2% | $1.66 bn | 2.03 m |
| **India** | 21.8% | $1.56 bn | 2.00 m |
| **United States** | 11.4% | $813.9 m | – |
| **Lithuania** | 7.2% | $517.9 m | – |
| **Oman** | 6.3% | $452.6 m | 564k |
| **Germany** | 4.9% | $350.3 m | 455k |
| **Saudi Arabia** | 4.3% | $308.1 m | – |
| **Japan** | 3.2% | $226.4 m | 286k |

 UN Comtrade 2024, reported by each country (exports by exporters, imports by importers), all partners. Some countries (for example Russia and Iran) do not report, so their shares are missing. HS codes can be broader than the tile: check the code before reading a share as the whole market.

#### How it moves

| Measure | Figure |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Share traded** | about 10-12% of output crosses borders (indicative); China's 3.8 Mt of exports in 2025 were about 4-5% of world demand (derived) |  |  |
| **How it moves** | White powder shipped in 1 t bulk bags in containers or in bulk; dust explosion risk. Usually made next to polyester plants. |  |  |
| **Routes and chokepoints** | East China to India's west coast, Turkey and Vietnam; Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia to India. |  |  |
| **India** | India imported 1.95 Mt in January-November 2025; imports from China were 132,687 t in December 2025, up from 69,802 t in November (S&P Global). |  |  |
| **Handling in transit** | Not regulated as dangerous goods for transport (indicative); dust explosion risk in handling. |  |  |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/trading/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/links/index.md)