India’s coal imports increased by 7.8 percent, reaching 140.60 million tonnes (MT) during the April-September period of the current financial year. In comparison, the coal imports for the same period last year were recorded at 130.34 MT, as per data from mjunction services ltd, a B2B e-commerce firm.
According to Vinaya Varma, Managing Director and CEO of mjunction, the overall demand for coal imports is expected to remain moderate due to a robust stock position and significant volumes available through spot e-auctions in the domestic market.
In September, coal imports experienced a decline of 10.09 percent, falling to 19.42 MT from 21.60 MT in the same month of the previous fiscal year. Of the total imports for September, non-coking coal accounted for 13.24 MT, compared to 14.88 MT in the corresponding month last year. Meanwhile, coking coal imports were recorded at 3.39 MT, down from 4.59 MT a year earlier.
During the April-September timeframe, non-coking coal imports reached 91.92 MT, an increase from 83.45 MT during the same period last year. Conversely, coking coal imports decreased to 28.18 MT from 29.44 MT.
Varma noted a slight uptick in non-coking coal imports in September, attributed to the upcoming festive season. However, coking coal imports declined, reflecting a decrease in steel demand and pricing.
Additionally, domestic coal production in the country rose by 6 percent to 453 MT during the April-September period of FY25, compared to 428 MT in the previous year. Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy recently emphasized that Coal India’s focus should be on increasing coal production and enhancing supply to mitigate imports, as Coal India Ltd is responsible for over 80 percent of the nation’s coal output.
