[Ferro-Alloys.com] TAIPEI: The trade statistics released by the Taiwan’s Directorate General of Customs for the month of August 2016 indicates significant increase in iron ore imports by the country. However, the imports during the initial eight-month period of the year declined by over 5% year-on-year.

The largest exporter of iron ore lump/fines to Taiwan during August this year was Australia. The imports from Australia totaled 1.555 Million tonnes, accounting for over 78% of the total imports of lump/fines by Taiwan during the month. The import price averaged at $56.0 per ton and the value of imports totaled $88.561 million. The other key import source was Brazil (351,754 tonnes). The value of imports from Brazil totaled $17.960 million at an average price of $50.1 per ton. The imports from Canada totaled 79,095 tonnes.

Brazil was the only pellet exporter to Taiwan during Aug ’16. The pellet imports from Brazil totaled 179,826 tonnes. The pellet imports by Taiwan dropped heavily by 48% during the month, when matched with the imports of 348,131 tonnes during the same month a year before.

Taiwan’s iron ore imports during the month totaled 2.166 Million tonnes, significantly higher by 25% when compared with the imports during the same month a year before. Taiwan had imported 1.732 Million tonnes of iron ore during August 2015. The import prices averaged at $57.6 per tonne, nearly 5% lower year-on-year. The iron ore import prices during August last year had averaged at $60.6 per tonne. The country’s Aug ’16 iron ore imports were valued at $126.858 million, increasing sharply by 19% when compared with the previous year.

The largest exporter of iron ore to Taiwan during August this year was Australia. The imports from Australia totaled 1.555 Million tonnes, accounting for nearly 72% of the total imports by Taiwan during the month. The price of iron ore import from the country averaged at $56.0 per tonne. The second largest source of iron ore import by the country was Brazil with 531,580 tonnes. The iron ore import prices from Brazil averaged at $60.9 per tonne during the month. The third largest exporter of iron ore to Taiwan was Canada with 79,095 tonnes.

• [Editor:tianyawei]