China BDO exports surge 159.94% in Q1 before VAT rebate removal

China pushed up exports of 1,4-butanediol (BDO) strongly in the first quarter of the year, thanks to the cancellation of the VAT export rebate as from April 1, 2026, and this drove up BDO prices significantly.

Driven by the removal of the VAT export rebate on April 1, 2026, China's BDO exports saw a dramatic increase in the first quarter. This front-loaded demand helped reduce domestic inventory and supported a rebound in BDO prices. The country exported around 80,000 tonnes of BDO in total in the