Russian coal output falls two percent in Jan-Feb amid softer demand

According to the data issued by Russia's Ministry of Economic Development, in January-February this year Russia registered a two percent year-on-year decrease in its coal output to 53 million mt, including a 13.9 percent year-on-year drop in coking coal output, due to a softer demand in the external and domestic markets.
 
According to preliminary data, in the first two months of this year Russia's total shipments of coal to the domestic market amounted to 37.9 million mt - up 1.4 percent year on year, including 6.3 million mt of coal for coking needs - down 3.6 percent year on year.
 
In January, Russia exported five million mt of coal - down 31 percent year on year. The share of exports in the overall domestic coal output volume in January this year decreased to 18.3 percent, from 27.5 percent in January 2010. Export contract prices for Russian coal increased in January this year by 33.1 percent year on year.
 
In February this year, the producers' coal price index in Russia increased by 9.4 percent compared to December 2010, with coking coal prices rising by 7.6 percent respectively.