Coal Imports Seen Easing After November Surge

Coal imports increased to 25.07 million tonnes in November, compared with 19.57 million tonnes in the same month last year, data compiled by mjunction services ltd showed. The platform is a joint venture between SAIL and Tata Steel.

According to mjunction, the increase was largely driven by winter restocking by steel producers, along with fresh buying triggered by weak seaborne coal prices. However, imports are expected to moderate in the coming months as domestic supplies improve.

Of the total coal imported in November, non-coking coal accounted for 14.28 million tonnes, up from 12.32 million tonnes a year earlier. Coking coal imports stood at 6.51 million tonnes, compared with 4.25 million tonnes in the same month of the previous financial year.

Coal imports during the April–November period of the current financial year also rose to 186.16 million tonnes, compared with 182.02 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year.

Despite government efforts to boost domestic output and reduce import dependence, production by Coal India Ltd declined by 3.7 per cent to 453.5 million tonnes during April–November of the current financial year. The company had produced 471 million tonnes in the same period last year.

Coal India, which contributes more than 80 per cent of India’s domestic coal output, has set a production target of 875 million tonnes and an offtake target of 900 million tonnes for the 2025–26 financial year. In 2024–25, the miner produced 781.1 million tonnes, nearly 7 per cent below its target of 838 million tonnes.