China alumina import in August declines 68% YoY; export too faces a slowdown

China’s total alumina imports declined 68.31 per cent over the same period previous year to stand at 128,729 million tonnes (mt) in August. The volume shrunk during the first eight months of the current fiscal as well. It dropped 26.66 per cent YoY to stand at 2,027,202mt for January-August 2016.

Alumina imports from Australia slid 61 per cent YoY to 96,317mt in August whereas during January-August period, it declined 21 per cent YoY to 1,297,790mt. Shipments from Indonesia, however, soared considerably during the periods under review.

China imported 28,105mt of alumina in August and 30,146mt during January-August of the current financial year. Alumina imports from countries like Japan, Italy, and Austria also grew significantly but they do not contribute much to the total imports of the mineral used in aluminium smelting.

Alumina shipments from India also dropped during both the periods under review. China imported 185,067mt alumina during the first eight months of the current financial year, down 57 per cent from the corresponding period previous year.

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China’s alumina exports to the international markets also faced a slowdown in August and January-August periods vis-à-vis previous year’s export volumes. Its first eight months shipment to the US dropped 37 per cent YoY, while to Iran it shrunk 88 per cent YoY.

China exported 265mt of alumina to India, a rise from previous year’s export volume, and 257mt to Vietnam, a 58 per cent surge from the same period last year. Alumina shipments to Russia during January-August period also grew by 80 per cent over the corresponding period previous year.  

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