China’s aluminium wires and cables exports decline 61% in March 2021 due to lower domestic export orders

In March 2021, China’s aluminium wires and cables exports stood at 10,600 tonnes, reflecting a month-on-month decline of 4.1 per cent and year-on-year 61 per cent, found China customs data. The export value reached $27.374 million in the said month.

In Q1 2021, China exported about 37,500 tonnes of aluminium wires and cables in total, which stood 32.7 per cent down from a year ago.

China exported aluminium wires and cables primarily to 62 countries and regions in March 2021. They included South Korea, Brazil, Vietnam, and Cambodia. To South Korea, China exported 1810.9 tonnes, which accounted for 17 per cent of China’s total export volume. To Brazil, China’s export stood at 1757.6 tonnes, accounting for 16.5 per cent; while to Vietnam, export came in at 1044.3 tonnes, accounting for 9.8 per cent of China’s total exports.

Among the Chinese provinces, Jiangsu, Hebei, and Henan stood as the main exporters of aluminium wires and cables. The export orders in Beijing, Shanghai, Fujian and other regions declined by about 80-90 per cent month-on-month in March 2021, while the orders in Shandong, Zhejiang, Sichuan and other places recovered well. The export volume of Jiangsu Province in March came in at 3,314 tonnes, accounting for 31.2 per cent of China’s total export volume.

March was a period of high overseas aluminium wires and cables demand, and therefore, domestic aluminium wires and cables exports recorded a year-on-year decline in the first quarter. SMM expects China’s domestic aluminium wires and cables exports in April 2021 to continue to be less than expectations, and the total exports to hover around 10,000 tonnes.