Coal Exports Down in January

Vietnam earned US$56 million from shipping abroad 1.8 million tons of coal in January, down 5 per cent in value and 3.1 per cent in volume, said the Trade Information Center under the Ministry of Trade.

 

The country plans to export some 20 million tons of coal this year, mostly coal categories either with high export value and limited domestic demand, or with abundant sources, the source said.

 

The major export markets were China, Japan, Republic of Korea and Europe.

 

Earlier, the Ministry of Planning and Investment asked the government to reduce coal exports in the 2006-2010 period to ensure supplies for energy-thirsty domestic industries.

 

Last year, Vietnam exported roughly 29.8 million tons of coal valued at US$927 million to over 20 countries and regions, including China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Brazil and the European Union, according to the country's General Statistics Office. (Xinhua, GSO Jan 2007)