In the January-March period this year, China’s metallurgical coke exports amounted to 1.95 million mt, increasing by 10.3 percent year on year, as announced by the Chinese customs authorities.
In March alone, China’s metallurgical coke exports totaled 520,000 mt, down 31.8 percent year on year.
In the January-March period this year, China’s coal exports reached 1.38 million mt, down 2.1 percent year on year. In March alone, China’s coal exports amounted to 380,000 mt, down 18.7 percent year on year.
Decreasing coking coal prices in the first three months of the year reduced the production costs of coke, making coke export offer prices competitive in the global market. Meanwhile, the expansion of steel capacity in India and countries in Southeast Asia has stimulated the demand for coke. In addition, China’s crude steel output indicated a year-on-year decrease of 4.6 percent in the first three months, indicating downward pressure on domestic demand for coke. However, the rapid growth of 10.3 percent in coke exports in the first quarter is unlikely to continue during the whole year, with an increase of around five percent possible for 2026.