China’s marble blocks and slabs and granite imports in the first nine months of 2021

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China’s marble blocks and slabs and granite imports hit a five-year high in the first nine months of 2021. In contrast, China’s marble imports, excluding the nine months of 2020, were the lowest. That led to an increase in the average price to the highest level in 2017 – 2020. The import volume of raw granites was the highest in the last five years, while the average price per ton, except for the nine months of 2020, was the lowest.

The statistical data analysis shows that the imports of marble blocks and slabs fared better than the granite ones. The table below shows the changes (%) in the value of marble blocks and slabs and granite imports from China between the nine months 2020 – 2021 and the second and third quarters of 2021.

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In the table above, we observe a significant increase in the imports of marble blocks and slabs compared to the granites in both periods. Focusing on the imports within the nine months of 2021, imports of marble blocks and slabs and granite record a different course. In the months that marble blocks and slabs imports increased, granite imports decreased. The only exception was during July-August when there was an increase in both materials.

In the case of marble blocks and slabs, the month with the highest value and quantity of imports was August, while the highest average price per tonne was recorded in September. In the case of raw granites, the month with the highest value and quantity of imports was April, while the highest average price per tonne was recorded in July.

It is worth emphasizing that in the imports of marble blocks and slabs between August and September, there was a decrease in value by -18.15%, the quantity -18.41%, while the average price per ton increased marginally by + 0.32%. In contrast, raw granites increased in value by + 9.66%, quantity + 7.72% and the average price per ton by + 1.8%.

*The statistics are derived from the analysis of the Tariff Class Codes – Harmonized System (HS) Codes:

25151100: Marble & travertine, crude or roughly trimmed.

25151200: Marble & travertine, merely cut into a square / rectangular blocks / slabs.

25181000: Dolomite, not calcined / sintered.

25161100: Granite, crude or roughly trimmed.

25161200: Granite, merely cut into a square / rectangular blocks / slabs.

*Due to consistent data flow, statistics may alter during the year

For more statistics contact [email protected]