A 14% drop is estimated in the Netherlands’ 2020 alumina imports; but the import cost likely to rise

The global trade data suggests a year-on-year drop of 14 per cent in the Netherlands’ total alumina imports in 2020. From 1.45 million tonnes in 2019, the imports at the end of 2020 are likely to come in at 1.24 million tonnes, showed the data.

Jamaica is expected to continue as the main exporter to the Netherlands, but the volume to dip from the year last. In contrast to 731,796 tonnes in 2019, Jamaica’s exports to the Netherlands this year are estimated to stand at 571,081 tonnes. This represents a year-on-year decrease of 22 per cent; in tandem with the drop in the Netherlands’ total alumina imports.

The country’s imports in 2018 were 1.19 million tonnes after a growth of 2.58 per cent from 1.16 million tonnes in 2017. 2019 also saw an increase in the Netherlands’ alumina imports by about 22 per cent, the highest in the last two years.

Thus, the above data represents that the country in 2020 is likely to see a drop in its aluminium ore imports after three years of consecutive rises.

However, the country’s estimated import cost is likely to witness a year-on-year growth of 1.54 per cent in 2020, despite the expected drop in the import amount. Compared to US$ 454 million in 2019, Jamaica this year is forecast to spend US$ 461 million in its alumina imports. In the previous years as well, the country’s alumina import cost grew year-on-year like for instance, in 2019, it grew by 12.37 per cent and in 2018 increased by 25.46 per cent from US$ 322 million in 2017 to US$ 404 million.

For the import from Jamaica, the Netherlands is estimated to expend US$ 199 million this year, 7.87 per cent lesser from US$ 216 million in 2019.

Spain and Ireland are expected to be the second and the third highest alumina exporter to the Netherlands, providing 285,197 tonnes at US$ 90 million and 212,114 tonnes at US$ 86 million, respectively.