“According to the foreign trade statistics, the imported volume of helium for the first half of FY2013 decreased by 15.2% but increased by 9% in the term of monetary amounts, compared with the same period of last year, reflecting the worsening supply-demand balance and the consequent price-hike.

According to the country-by-country statistics, the import from the US of the principal source decreased by 16.8% but increased by 12% on a monetary basis.

During the term, there were imports from non-producer countries like China, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore. It means that in the midst of the tightening state of supply-demand balance, there has been an increase in the import of helium packaged in cylinders from the Asian countries.”