Greater domestic capacity to lower high-carbon ferrochrome imports

Published: Dec 17, 2018 14:47
Imports are expected to fall by 9% year on year to 2.4 million mt in 2018

SHANGHAI, Dec 17 (SMM) – SMM forecasts that expanding domestic capacity will lower China's imports of high-carbon ferrochrome by 9% year on year to 2.4 million mt in 2018. 

As one of the raw materials to produce stainless steel, high-carbon ferrochrome’s imports grew 36.06% from September, to 256,600 mt in October, showed data from China Customs. Currently, imports account for one-third of overall supplies in China. 

From 2015, rising domestic capacity and more imports of higher-grade cargoes from India started to lower China’s imports from South Africa, customs data showed, 

SMM expects domestic imports of South Africa’s high-carbon ferrochrome to shrink to 1.09 million mt in 2018. Imports from South Africa rose from 989,300 mt in 2013 to 1.96 million mt in 2015, according to customs data.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

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Greater domestic capacity to lower high-carbon ferrochrome imports - Shanghai Metals Market (SMM)