NEW DELHI: India’s coal imports have risen by 11.4 per cent in the April-August period of FY25, amounting 121.1 million tonnes (MT). In the corresponding period, last year the country imported 108.7 MT of coal.
Coal imports in August rose to 5.4 per cent to 20.70 MT as compared to 19.63 MT in the previous year.
“During April-August 2024, total coal and coke imports stood at 121.18 MT, around 11.4 per cent higher than 108.74 MT imported during the same period last year,” data compiled by B2B e-commerce platform Mjunction stated, news agency PTI reported.
Of the total import in August 2024, non-coking coal import was at 13.04 MT, against 11.89 MT, while coking coal import was at 4.53 MT, against 4.62 MT a year ago.
From April to August, non-coking coal imports reached 78.68 MT against 68.58 MT during the same period last financial year. Meanwhile, coking coal imports totaled 24.79 MT, remaining almost constant from 24.85 MT recorded in the previous year.
Mjunction MD & CEO Vinaya Varma said, “Surplus availability of domestic coal in the system along with dwindling coal demand led to a decline in import volumes during the month under review. Coal import is expected to remain subdued till energy demand rises during the festive season.”
Previously, Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy had said that India should increase domestic production of the fossil fuel while reducing coal imports.
Overall coal production reached 384.08 million tonnes (provisional) up to August 2024 in FY 2024-25, marking a 6.48 per cent increase compared to the 360.71 million tonnes produced during the same period in FY 2023-24.
India’s coal imports rose by 7.7 per cent to 268.24 MT in FY24.
