Imports of iron ore in Heilongjiang Province reduced in price from January to August

Northeast News, Oct. 8 (Reporter Shao Qi) According to statistics from Harbin Customs, from January to August this year, 2.443 million tons of iron ore was imported from Heilongjiang Province, which was 12.8% lower than the same period of last year. The value was US$250 million, an increase of 63.3. %; The average import price was 122.8 US dollars / ton, up 87.4%.

The import volume continued to increase, and the average import price plunged. Since May of this year, the import volume of iron ore in Heilongjiang Province has increased at a sequential rate of 4 months. Among them, the imports in August reached 499,000 tons, an increase of 23.1% over the same period of the previous year and an increase of 24.1% from the previous period, reaching a record high since 2009. From the average price point of view, it showed a trend of rising before falling. The average price of imports at the beginning of this year continued the upward trend of last year, climbed to the highest point in May and began to fall in June. Among them, the average price in April was US$116.5/ton, which exceeded US$100/ton for the first time; it was US$151.8/ton in May, up 1.3 times year-on-year and up 30.3% month-on-month, reaching a record high; it fell to US$128.2/ton in August. It was up 94.1% year-on-year and down 5.5% month-on-month.

Imports are mainly based on the small-scale trade of the border. From January to August, Heilongjiang Province imported 1.489 million tons of iron ore, a decrease of 18.2%, which accounted for 72.9% of the import volume of iron ore in Heilongjiang Province in the same period, and imported 54.40 million tons, an increase of 5.8%. The proportion is 27.1%.

Private companies and state-owned enterprises keep pace. From January to August, private enterprises in Heilongjiang Province imported 1.059 million tons of iron ore, a decrease of 9.1%, accounting for 51.8% of the iron ore import volume in Heilongjiang Province during the same period; state-owned enterprises imported 984,000 tons, down 16.5%, accounting for 48.2%.

The Russian Federation is the main importing country of origin. From January to August, Heilongjiang Province imported 2.043 million tons of iron ore from Russia, down 12.6%. In addition, there are only trace imports from Australia.

According to the analysis of the customs, China is a large importer of iron ore, which accounts for 70% of the global demand market. However, due to the influence of many factors such as the concentration of international resource supply, we have not obtained the discourse that matches the demand status in terms of commodity pricing mechanism. Right, imbalance of trade rights between supply and demand sides. In global trade, most of the time, Chinese enterprises can only passively accept prices. From 2001 to 2008, the cumulative price of long-haul iron ore increased by 364%. In 2010, the three major iron ore suppliers changed the long association mechanism without authorization, breaking the long-term stable relationship with the iron and steel companies and causing a great impact on the normal operation of the steel industry in China.

With the disintegration of the long association system, the quarterly pricing model for iron ore based on the spot index has been formed in 2010, and gradually moved closer to the spot pricing mechanism, giving birth to the "quarterly pricing - iron ore index - iron ore swap agreement" financial chain form. The financialization of the iron ore market has greatly increased the uncertainty of imports. The influx of large amounts of capital has caused the market to become more complex. Frequent price fluctuations and the inversion of the agreement price and spot price have intensified.

Suggestions for this: First, pay close attention to the industrial conditions in the international market, track changes in the trade situation, adjust industrial policies in a timely manner, and ensure that they take the initiative; Second, further strengthen iron ore sand import monitoring and early warning, strictly examine and approve import licenses, guide enterprises to rational management, and avoid blindness. Speculation and stockpile; third is to promote the merger and reorganization of iron and steel enterprises, gradually eliminate backward production capacity, continuously improve industry concentration, and enhance the bargaining power in the international market; fourth is to strengthen research on iron ore-related financial transactions, learn from foreign experience, and guide domestic Conditional financial institutions participate in iron ore financial transactions to prevent the risk of arbitrage of domestic enterprises by foreign financial institutions. Fifth, while strengthening the exploration and construction of domestic mines, enterprises are encouraged to increase investment in offshore mines and expand the source of ore. , reduce the market concentration is too high risk.