China will cut 2013 export quotas for tin by 5.6% from this year to 17,000 tonnes, following a cut of 4.8% for 2012, the Ministry of Commerce reported.
China’s tin exports have fallen considerably since 2008, when the export tax was increased to 10%. The rise of China consumption in recent years also caused the reduction in exports. In recent years actual reported exports have always been much lower than the quotas. Reported exports in the first nine months of 2012 were only 1,200 tonnes, although the export quota for this year is 18,000 tonnes.
A list for 2013 export quotas for various industrial metals was posted on the ministry website on 1 November. Apart from tin, quotas also applied to tungsten, antimony, molybdenum, indium and silver, but in all the other cases tonnages were unchanged from 2012.
