Chinese customs data reported on September 24, 2026, revealed that China's sulphur imports decreased by 65 percent year-on-year in August to roughly 277,300 tonnes. According to the South China Morning Post, the supply contraction was attributed to ongoing maritime logistics disruptions across the Middle East.
The resulting supply shortage caused average import prices per tonne to surge by nearly 246 percent compared to the same period in the prior year, representing a 3.5-fold increase. Domestically, Chinese sulphur prices escalated to over 7,350 yuan per tonne, tightening feedstock availability for chemical refining and agricultural phosphate fertiliser manufacturing.
Despite regional shipping bottlenecks, the United Arab Emirates remained a critical supplier alongside South Korea and Canada. Together, the three countries accounted for 80 percent of China's total sulphur imports in August, while shipments from other Gulf producers—including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman—faced severe contractions.
Across the first eight months of 2026, cumulative Chinese sulphur import volumes declined by 60 percent. However, higher prices drove total expenditure on sulphur up by 8.4 percent over the same period.
Sources
- UAE-China Chamber of Commerce · 2026-09-26
