Record coal production in China raises concerns about a surplus

In November, China set a new record for coal production, which increased concerns about an oversupply of the market with this key fuel.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the volume of coal production last month reached 428 million tons, which is 1.8% more compared to the same period last year. In 2024, coal production in the country is expected to grow for the eighth year in a row.

Record production figures were the result of active actions by the authorities in the field of energy security. As part of this strategy, Beijing has reopened previously closed mines and accelerated the process of issuing permits for the construction of new coal mining facilities.

However, the increase in production volumes is accompanied by a decrease in demand for coal. This is due to the slowdown in the Chinese economic recovery. Against the background of weak demand, coal prices fell to their lowest level in more than a year on Monday. In addition, the increase in electricity production in November turned out to be less significant than expected.