SQM CEO Ramos revealed that SQM’s expects to produce 10,000 t more than covered by sales forecasts. This additional volume will go to inventories. In other words, their price expectations were higher than the market is willing to pay. Inventory volume will be up to three months of sales.
Ramos stated, that stockpiling is not driven by the goal of sustaining high prices, but rather to generate greater flexibility for its customers and recover inventories to deal with the expansions of their plants.
My understanding is, that this strategy is at risk, because of loosing market share to Chinese domestic producers.