International solar-grade polysilicon suppliers, under pressure from high inventory levels, have lowered quotes for markets except China from US$19/kg in the fourth quarter of 2014 to US$16/kg or even close to US$15/kg currently, according to industry sources.

The high inventory levels are mainly because the China government has imposed anti-dumping and anti-subsidization tariffs on polysilicon imported from Europe, the US and South Korea and has banned imports through export processing zones to block evasion since September 2014, the sources said.

Polysilicon suppliers are quoting US$17.5/kg currently in China due to the duties, the sources indicated.

Although China-based solar-grade crystalline silicon wafer makers bear higher costs for imported polysilicon, Taiwan-based makers have not benefited from the cost gap because the former are willing to sell at losses to maintain orders, the sources said.