China’s exports of silicon fall 1.8% in Jan

SHANGHAI, Feb 27 (SMM) – China exported about 68,000 mt of silicon metal in January, down 10.6% from a year earlier and 1.8% from a month earlier, showed data from China Customs.

Exports of silicon metal declined 23.4% year on year but expanded 15.3% month on month in December.

Trades of silicon exports were poor last month. Purchases by two large aluminium alloy producers overseas accounted for the majority of the total, after the two firms postponed their quarterly tenders to January.

Most deliveries leaving ports were for long-term contracts or cargoes that were sent earlier to avoid the Lunar New Year holiday impact.

Given the holiday break and tepid trading activity after the holidays, exports of silicon metal are expected to substantially decline in February.