China Tin Imports in April Dropped Greatly MoM due to Pandemic in Myanmar

SHANGHAI, May 20 (SMM) – According to the General Administration of Customs, China imported 15,811 mt of tin ore and its concentrate in April, down 45.45% MoM and 17.14% YoY. The imports in January-April totalled 104,541 mt, up 72.13% YoY.

In terms of supplier countries, tin ore was mainly imported from Myanmar, Congo (DRC), Nigeria, and Australia in April. Among them, 9,448 mt of tin ore were imported from Myanmar, and the volume in metal content was approximately 2,362 mt when calculated at an average grade of 25%. The imports from other countries were approximately 6,363 mt, and the volume in metal content was approximately 3,182 mt when calculated at an average grade of 50%. It is easy to see through the data that the imports from Myanmar in April dropped significantly MoM by more than 50%.

The main reason for the massive reduction in tin ore imports from Myanmar is that the region was greatly hit by the pandemic again in April, with the import and export ports only opening to goods and strict restrictions on human flow. The stringent control measures greatly suppressed the efficiency of logistics, which resulted in large backlog of cargoes, according to SMM research.

On the other hand, total imports from other countries showed the expected modest decline MoM in April. In terms of country-specific import data, mainstream supplier countries posted both growth and decline in April, with Congo (DRC), Australia and Thailand all showing significant declines, but a recovery in imports from Bolivia, Nigeria and Laos making up for some of the total decline.

Comprehensively speaking, although the imports from Myanmar dropped significantly MoM in April, the boarder ports are expected to gradually return to normal in mid to late April, hence the imports from Myanmar re expected to rebound palpably in May. In China, the processing fess for tin ore in China have risen slightly entering May, and SMM believes that China’s total tin ore imports will probably rise on rising imports from Myanmar.