Page 2 - Coal Import

Coal imports jump 5.7% to 75.26 million tonnes in April-June, shows data

India's coal import rose by 5.7 per cent to 75.26 million tonnes (MT) in the first quarter of the current fiscal compared to 71.16 MT of coal in the same period of the previous fiscal. Coal imports in June were also higher by 6.59 per cent at 22.97 MT compared to 21.55 MT in the same month of the previous fiscal, according to data compiled by mjunction services ltd, a B2B e-commerce platform from a joint venture between Tata Steel and SAIL. mjunction MD and CEO Vinaya Varma said that given the surplus coal available in the system and the slowdown in industrial activity during monsoon, import demand is likely to remain subdued in the coming month. Of the total imports in June 2024, non-coking coal imports stood at 14.19 MT, higher than 13.29 MT imported in June last year. Coking coal imports were at 5.45 MT, against 5.33 MT imported in June 2023. During April-June 2024, non-coking coal imports were at 49.12 MT, higher than 46.53 MT imported during the same period last year. Coking c

Met coal imports from Russia up nearly three-fold in last 3 financial years

Imports of metallurgical coal from Russia have spurted around three-fold in the last three years to around 15.1 million tonnes in 2023-24 mainly due to lower prices while the same from Australia have declined, according to a research firm. Russia's share in India's metallurgical coal imports of 73.2 million tonnes (MT) has risen to around 21 per cent from around 8 per cent in 2021-22, research firm Big Mint said in a statement. The import of metallurgical coal, which includes coking coal and pulverised coal injection (PCI), from Russia, stood at 5.1 MT, accounting for 8 per cent of India's total imports of 65.6 MT of the commodity in 2021-22. Metallurgical coal imports from Russia rose to 11.3 MT in 2022-23, accounting for 16 per cent of 69.9 MT met coal imports in that year. In 2023-24, met coal imports from Russia were 15.1 MT or 21 per cent of total met coal imports of 73.2 MT. Australia, a major supplier of met coal to India, saw a decline in the commodity's exports to India. ..

Baltimore bridge collapse: Coal exports likely to be blocked for weeks

Ernie Thrasher added that the coal that moves out of Baltimore includes a lot of India-bound thermal coal, which is used for electricity generation

India's coal import rises marginally to 212 MT in April-January period

The country registered a marginal rise of 1.65 per cent in coal imports to 212.24 Million Tonnes (MT) in the April-January period of the ongoing fiscal, over the year-ago period. India's coal import was 208.78 MT in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, according to data compiled by mjunction services ltd. mjunction services ltd is a B2B e-commerce platform. During the April-January period of the current fiscal, the volume of non-coking coal imports was 136.47 MT, slightly lower than 136.90 MT imported during the same period last financial year, according to the data. Coking coal import was at 47.32 MT during the April-January 2023-24, higher than 46.09 MT recorded in the April-January period of FY23. The coal import in January through the major and non-major ports also increased to 19.81 MT, over 16.97 MT in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal. Of the total imports in January, non-coking coal import was at 12.10 MT, against 10.01 MT imported in January last

India's Feb trade deficit at $18.71 billion, consistent with forecast

In February, services exports were $32.35 billion, while imports were $15.39 billion. In January, services exports were $32.80 billion and imports were $16.05 billion

Coal ministry will fulfill 874 mn tonnes coal requirement in FY25: Min

The coal ministry is geared up to fulfill the 874 million tonnes coal demand for the power sector in financial year 2024-25, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Wednesday. For the financial year ending March 31, the Power Ministry had placed a requirement of 821 million tonnes, Joshi told PTI on the sidelines of the release of 'PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan in Coal Sector' booklet. Their (power ministry's) demand has been met. They had asked for 821 million tonnes and it has been supplied, the Minister said. "For FY25, the power ministry has asked for 874 million tonnes of coal. We will fulfill this requirement also. We are going to cross 1 billion tonne coal production by this March," he said. The share of imported coal for blending purposes has gone down this fiscal compared to last financial year, Joshi said. In FY24, coal import for blending was around 22.20 million tonnes, while it was at 30.80 million tonnes in the financial year 2022-23, he said. Savings to the tune

Inter-ministerial committee pitches for higher tax on coal imports

Recommends rationalising GST compensation cess on coal

India's coal output reaches 881 MT in Apr-Feb, likely to hit target

India produced 880.72 million tonne (MT) of coal in April-February this fiscal and is now just 119.28 MT away from its 1 billion tonne coal production target for FY24. In 2022-23, India's total coal output was 893 million tonnes (MT). For the ongoing 2023-24 fiscal, the government has a target to produce 1 billion tonne (BT) of coal. The cumulative coal production in April-February 2024 grew over 12 per cent to 880.72 MT (provisional) compared to 785.39 MT during the same period of FY23, the Ministry of Coal said in a statement on Tuesday. The country's coal produced rose 12 per cent to 96.60 million tonne (MT) in February against 86.38 MT a year ago. In February, the production of state-owned giant Coal India Ltd (CIL) rose 8 per cent to 74.76 MT (provisional) from 68.78 MT in February 2023, the ministry said. The cumulative coal dispatch up to February 2024 increased over 11 per cent to 882.44 MT compared to 794.41 MT in the year-ago period. The coal dispatch grew 13.63 per cen

Govt extends mandate for power producers to import 6% of coal needs

Coal accounts for about 75% of India's power generation, with coal-fired plants accounting for more than three quarters of India's use of the polluting fuel

'Thermal coal imports falling first time since pandemic on domestic output'

Lower Indian appetite for imports could further pressure prices, even as miners grapple with a 70% plunge from record highs that followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022

Coal import for blending drops 37% to 19.36 million tonne in Apr-Jan period

The import of coal for blending purposes dropped 36.69 per cent to 19.36 Million Tonnes (MT) in the April-January period of the current fiscal, an official statement said on Monday. The country's coal import for blending was 30.58 MT in the corresponding period of the previous financial year. "Despite the surging power demand, coal import for blending witnessed a significant decrease of 36.69 per cent... This exemplifies the nation's steadfast commitment to achieving self-reliance in coal production and minimising overall coal imports," the coal ministry said in a statement. The country's power generation grew 6.6 per cent in the April-January period over the year-ago period, the statement said. Coal remains the predominant source and contributes over 70 per cent to the total power generation. Coal-based power generation has been important in meeting the rising energy demands. Currently, the country is experiencing a substantial rise in power requirements on account of industrial

Coal import drops 5% in Apr-Sep period to 125.21 MT: Govt in Parliament

Country's coal import has registered a drop of five per cent at 125.21 million tonnes (MT) in the April-September period of the ongoing financial year, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, coal and power minister Pralhad Joshi said that, had the production through auction, commercial coal auction not started, then as per compound annual growth rate (CAGR) there would have been a need to import 150 million tonnes (MT) of coal, but the country has actually imported only 125.21 MT of coal during the April-September period of 2023-24. "In the current year 2023-24, coal import up to the month of September 2023, was 125.21 MT, which is a decline of 5 per cent over the corresponding period last year," the minister said. The government has taken several measures to substitute coal imports. There is a thrust on enhancement of domestic coal production which is key to achieve self-reliance and reduce dependence on imported coal. In 2022-23, coal ...

Center plans to increase coking coal shipments from Russia: Report

Russian coking coal cargoes are already cheaper than Australian supplies, and some Russian suppliers are willing to lower their prices, said sources

Power Ministry asks utilities to import 6% of their coal until March

In a letter dated Wednesday and seen by Reuters on Saturday, the ministry asked the companies to blend the imported coal with domestic coal to maintain stocks amid higher consumption

More than Rs 3.85 trillion spent on coal imports last year: Govt data

The country spent more than Rs 3.85 lakh crore on coal imports last year, the government said on Thursday. Though the share of coal import in total consumption came down from 26 per cent to 21 per cent in the last five years, India is importing more than 200 million tonnes (MT) of dry fuel every year, incurring huge foreign exchange outflow. "The goal of coal ministry is to enhance coal production to ensure adequate availability of coal for fast growing economy of the country. As a result of efforts of the ministry, the share of imports in total consumption reduced from 26 per cent to to 21 per cent during last 5 years," it said. Meanwhile, the ministry said it is deeply concerned about protecting forests and no coal mine has been auctioned by ignoring suggestions of the environment ministry. For example, it said, the plea of Chhattisgarh to de-notify coal mines falling under Lemru Elephant Corridor has been accepted. Areas beyond Lemru Elephant Corridor have also been considered

Coal inventories in India drop at fastest pace in 2 years, boosting imports

While India's power demand typically peaks during May, unusually dry weather and an uptick in economic activity has boosted consumption this month

India starts safeguard probe against sudden, sharp jump in met coke imports

India has started a safeguard probe into sudden and sharp increase in the imports of metallurgical coke, used as fuel in steel and chemicals plants, following a complaint by domestic industries that the inbound shipments are impacting them. In an application to the commerce ministry's arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), BLA Pvt Ltd, Jindal Coke Ltd, Saurashtra Fuels, Vedanta Malco Energy and Visa Coke Ltd have alleged that there has been sudden, sharp, significant and recent increase in the imports of low ash metallurgical coke in India, which is adversely impacting the industry. To guard the industry from these imports, the applicants have requested imposition of safeguard measures in the form of quantitative restrictions on the imports. "On the basis of the duly substantiated application filed by the petitioners...the authority considers that there is sufficient evidence to justify initiation of safeguard investigation," the DGTR has said in a notification. In the .

Coal imports could be cut as CIL output rise to 1 bn tonnes: PM Prasad

Imports of non coking coal could be cut drastically by fiscal 2025-26 on the back of increased output of dry fuel in the country, P M Prasad, Chairman and Managing Director of Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) said. The chairman of the Coal India subsidiary said the world's largest coal miner, Coal India Ltd, would be able to produce one billion tonnes by FY26. "We have to see that targets are in place. Last year (fiscal 2022-23) we (Coal India) produced 703 million tonne. The target for FY 24 is 780 MT and FY 25 is 880 MT, Prasad, whose name was recommended by the PESB earlier this month for the job of CMD of Coal India Ltd, told PTI. He added that the CIL production will touch one billion tonnes in FY 26. If we achieve this, definitely imports of non-coking coal will be reduced....within three years non coking coal imports can be brought down to a minimum level," Prasad said. India's overall coal production has witnessed a quantum jump to 893.08 MT in FY 2022-23 as compared to 728.

Power play in the coal economy: Tracking Chhattisgarh unofficial levy row

The scandal over an unofficial levy in Chhattisgarh reflects the shortage that is afflicting the economy and a walk-back from market-friendly reforms

No power supply disruption due to high demand, will import coal: R K Singh

Power Minister RK Singh on Thursday exuded confidence that there will be no disruption in electricity supply due to high demand during summer, and he will not hesitate to import coal and mandate thermal plants to run at full capacity for the purpose. The Indian power system has already met a record power demand of 211.6 GW in June 2022. During the current year 2023, the power demand is expected to be around 225 GW during summer, Singh said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Asked about rising power demand, Singh told reporters in a press conference, "We are prepared. There is no question of being a disruption in supply if I need to import coal I will import it. If I need to blend, I will blend". He explained that blending (of imported coal) has been happening earlier and so he has no hesitation at all in blending. Singh assured that there is not going to be any shortage of coal. He stated that as far as section 11 is concerned if there is a need ...then I will do ...