(Yicai) Dec. 11 -- China imported more coal between January and November this year than in the entire last year, mainly because of lower prices.

China’s coal and lignite imports rose nearly 15 percent to 490 million tons in the first 11 months of this year from a year earlier, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs yesterday. Last year, coal imports soared 62 percent to record 470 million tons.

In November alone, China imported 55 million tons of coal, up 19 percent from October and over 26 percent from a year earlier, GAC data also showed.

The average coal import price plunged almost 13 percent to CNY688 (USD95) per ton in the 11 months ended Nov. 30 from the same period last year, the GAC said.

According to data from Wind Information, the average price of 5,500-kilocalory thermal coal imported to China’s Qinhuangdao Port averaged CNY862 (USD119) per ton, down about 11 percent in the period.

China’s coal imports are expected to remain at historical highs now with the upcoming consumption peak for winter, Chinese research institute Yimei predicted.

For a better understanding of China’s demand, coal imports in the first 10 months of the year only accounted for 11.3 percent of the total consumption.

Editor: Futura Costaglione