China’s coal output down 1.44 percent in January-August

In the January-August period of the year, China produced 2.518 billion mt of coal, down 1.44 percent year on year, while it sold 2.4 billion mt of coal in the same period, down 1.62 percent year on year, as announced by the China National Coal Association (CNCA) on September 20. In August alone, China's coal output amounted to 302 million mt, down 0.98 percent year on year, while its overall sales volume totaled 290 million mt, down 0.5 percent year on year.
 
China exported 450,000 mt of coal in August this year, down 13.5 percent year on year, while it exported 3.93 million mt of coal in the first eight months of the year, decreasing by 27.5 percent year on year.
 
In August, China imported 18.86 million mt of coal, decreasing by 27.4 percent year on year, while its coal imports in the first eight months amounted to 201.76 million mt, down 5.3 percent year on year.
 
According to the CNCA, though the coal market has shown signs of stabilization, demand for coal has remained sluggish and the domestic coal market is still subject to downward pressures as international coal prices have been fluctuating at low levels.