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China's March coal imports nearly flat year-on-year as weak demand weighs

China's coal imports were nearly flat in March yearonyear, customs data showed on Friday, as weak demand and falling domestic rates weighed on international deliveries.

Arrivals of coal in China, the world's biggest customer of the fuel, amounted to 41.38 million metric lots in March, up less than 1% from 41.17 million heaps a year earlier, the General Administration of Customs data showed.

A China-based trader, who declined to be named due to the fact that they were not authorised to talk to the media, questioned the accuracy of the information, suggesting that March imports might be even lower than the main figure.

Demand is really weak, and prices are very low, the trader stated, including that domestic rates have fallen below the level of international prices. Who's losing cash on a lot imported volume?

High domestic stockpiles and weak demand from key sectors consisting of realty and chemicals also weighed on coal need last month.

First-quarter coal imports, however, were up 13.9% at 115.9 million loads, boosted by a 23% boost in January-February year-on-year.

China's main coal providers are Indonesia, Australia, Mongolia and Russia.

A low base effect boosted the year-on-year boost in January and February since an unofficial ban on Australian coal shipments was still in result throughout the first two months of 2023. China rebooted taking deliveries of Australian coal in March 2023 as relations enhanced following the election of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

(source: Reuters)