China's Coal Output Drops 9.4% in 2016

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--In December 2016, China's coal output for 2016 totaled 3.36 billion metric tons, down 9.4% from 2015, according the country's National Bureau of Statistics. For just the month of December, coal output totaled 310.98 million metric tons, a drop of 3% from December 2015.

China's coke output amounted to 38.06 million metric tons in December, an increase of 8% year over year. For all of last year, coke output reached 449.11 million metric tons, a slight increase of 0.6%.

Due to the implementation of the national policy on cutting down coal production from the beginning of the year, especially the implementation of the 276-day-per-year working system, the nation's coal output had dropped over 10% year over year by April 2016. Starting from September, due to the gradual releasing of production capacity by allowing qualified coal mines to operate between 276 and 330 days per year, the monthly output continued to grow.

In 2016, China's accumulative imports of coal reached 256 million metric tons, an increase of 25.2% year over year. Coal exports reached 8.78 million metric tons, an increase of 64.5% year over year. Monthly imports remained more than 20 million metric tons from June 2016, and the peak reached 27 million metric tons in November 2016.

According to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), at of the end of 2016, coal stockpiles for key coal producers reached 93 million metric tons, a drop of 27.3% compared to the volume at the beginning of the year, and the coal stockpiles at key power plants reached 65.46 million metric tons, which is equivalent to the consumption of 16 days and a drop of 11% compared with the volume at the beginning of the year.

In 2016, China's investment in the coal mining and washing industry dropped 24.2%, with private investment dropping 18.3%.

Looking to 2017, it is expected that total coal demand will drop by about 3% compared with 2016. Coal imports in 2017 are expected to fall, and the market price is likely to be kept in a small margin of fluctuation.

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