China’s aluminium imports grow 2.2% M-o-M to 252,921 tonnes in September 2021, customs data shows

According to the data shared by the General Administration of Customs on Monday, October 18, China’s aluminium imports rose 2.2 per cent month-on-month to stand at 252,921 tonnes in September 2021. That included both primary and unwrought, alloyed aluminium. In August 2021, China imported 247,547 tonnes of aluminium.

Curbs on domestic aluminium production due to tight electricity supply in China increased the demand for overseas metal, resulting in a rise in imports. However, on a year-on-year calculation, the imports in September were down by 28.9 per cent, showed the data.

China imported record volumes of aluminium in 2020 because of the rapid recovery in Chinese demand after the coronavirus outbreak opened up the arbitrage window for cheaper metal to flow in from overseas. Also, imports remain high this year as power supply shortage leads to lower aluminium production in China.

For January-September, China’s total aluminium imports amounted to 2.275 million tonnes, up 14.2 per cent year-on-year, said customs.

China’s bauxite imports, the main source of aluminium ore, were up by 0.3 per cent year-on-year to 8.34 million tonnes in September. On a month-on-month basis, they were down by 4.1 per cent.