Although China has placed a moratorium on polysilicon imports through its export processing zones (EPZs), the measure has yet to show much impact on product pricing, according to PV industry sources in Taiwan.

PV firms outside China had expected to gain more bargaining chips in their price negotiations with polysilicon suppliers who would avoid China and panic-sell their products in other areas for lower prices. But such a scenario has not occurred, the sources said.

China imposed the moratorium on September 1 to prevent suppliers from taking advantage of a loophole to avoid anti-dumping and anti-subsidization tariffs. US-based suppliers, such as Hemlock Semiconductor and MEMC Electronic Materials, face an anti-dumping and anti-subsidization tariff rates of over 50%, the sources indicated.

But suppliers who had already received a yearly approval for imports through the EPZs before the ban was implemented will continue to be allowed to ship their products through the EPZs until the end of 2014, the sources said, adding such suppliers feel to pressure to dump their products elsewhere at present.

The average polysilicon price in the China market stand at US$20-21/kg currently and is expected to rise to US$21-22/kg arising from the temporary ban, while polysilicon quotes outside the China market are above US$20/kg, the sources noted.