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Indonesia, South Africa goal to restore lost share in Indian coal market

Leading coal exporters Indonesia and South Africa are intending to increase supplies of thermal coal to key purchaser India, company executives stated, as they look to restore market share in the world's second largest import market for the fuel.

Indonesia and South Africa are leading suppliers of thermal coal to India, but have lost market share in recent years to the United States, Russia and Australia due to major changes in trade routes over geopolitical concerns.

With a decline in Europe's appetite for coal, miners in both countries are now competing for a greater share of the steady Indian coal imports market.

We see our low sulphur, high calorific worth coal as a huge benefit to supply to the Indian market. India's steel production expected to do well and it's good for South Africa, Kgabi Masia, primary coal operations officer at Exxaro Resources stated at the Coaltrans India conference.

South Africa enhanced materials of the power generation fuel to Europe at India's cost after Russia's war on Ukraine to benefit from higher prices being offered, while Indonesia lost some share to Australia as it improved supplies to China.

For the year ending March 2025, we will supply 60 million metric tons out of South Africa, which implies we will be able to supply more to India, Masia said.

South Africa's share in Indian thermal coal imports fell to 16% in 2023 from an average of about 22% in the 3 years before the pandemic, while Indonesia's share fell to 58% in 2023 from 65% in 2022.

Indonesia is anticipated to supply as much as 110 million heaps to India in 2024, Ardian Rosadi Budiman, senior manager of international marketing at Adaro Energy stated, nearly 7% higher than the 103 million tons it supplied in 2023.

The world's biggest exporter of the power generation fuel is targeting record output of 710 million tons this year.

Despite extra domestic demand, we still anticipate Indian need for Indonesian coal to be strong, Budiman informed the conference.

(source: Reuters)