China’s Q1 Alumina Imports Down 10.9% YoY

SHANGHAI, Apr. 24 (SMM) – According to China Customs, China imported 195,200 mt of alumina in March. YTD imports through March amounted to 1.03 million mt, down 10.9% YoY. 

China’s alumina imports began to fall sharply in March. Australia continued to be China’s largest biggest alumina supplier in Q1, whose alumina accounted for 99.38% of China’s total imports, compared with 89.5% in the same period last year.

Two factors are behind the rise in China’s Australian alumina imports. First, Australia is the most import global alumina supplier. Second, CIF prices for Australian alumina are lower, which averaged USD 357/mt in March. China’s imports of Brazilian alumina, in contrast, fell sharply to zero in Q1.