China's coal imports, including lignite, thermal and metallurgical coal, fell 32.7% year on year to 17.03 million mt in March, the ninth consecutive year-on-year decline, data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC) showed Monday.
However, imports rose 11.6% from February, which was affected by the Lunar New Year holidays.
The value of March imports was $1.67 billion, plunging 45.5% on the year but up 3.6% on the month. That translates to an average price of $62.65/mt, down $14.77/mt year on year and $4.84/mt lower on the month.
The GAC will provide a breakdown of March imports later this month.
Over January-March, the country imported 49.07 million mt of coal, down 41.5% year on year, the GAC said.
Total value during the same period was $3.24 billion, a drop of 52.5% year on year.
Meanwhile, China exported 320,000 mt of coal in March, dropping 56.8% on the year and down 25.6% on the month. The value of March exports was $34.8 million, falling 63.9% year on year and down 28.8% from February.
In the first quarter of the year, China exported 980,000 mt of coal, down 50.4% year on year, with total value falling 57.4% to $1.09 billion.
Fenwei Energy is a leading provider of coal market information in China.