[SMM Analysis] Domestic Capacity Expansion Severely Squeezes China’s Ferrochrome Imports in 2025

January 20, 2025 News:

According to statistics from China Customs, China's total imports of high-carbon ferrochrome in December 2025 reached 126,900 tons, up 0.8% month-on-month but down 51.1% year-on-year. Imports from South Africa stood at 1,100 tons, down 73.8% month-on-month and 87.6% year-on-year, while imports from Kazakhstan amounted to 90,000 tons, up 9% month-on-month and 7.52% year-on-year.

For the full year 2025, total high-carbon ferrochrome imports were 2.4457 million tons, a year-on-year decrease of 33.1%. Among them, imports from South Africa totaled 956,200 tons, down 47.5% year-on-year, and imports from Kazakhstan reached 1.0318 million tons, down 16.6% year-on-year. South Africa's share of ferrochrome imports fell to 39.1%, while Kazakhstan's share rose to 42.19%, yet overall ferrochrome imports declined.