Exports of Weglokoks, state-owned enterprise, one of Poland’s biggest coal exporters, dropped in the first three quarters of this year by 37 percent to 7.9m tons.
“The decrease amounted to 4.6m tons compared to the same period of last year”, Jerzy Galemba from Weglokoks admitted.
The management of the company headed by Piotr Koziol estimates that this year, Weglokoks will sell 11m tons of coal. Last year, it sold 15.3m tons. In the previous years, sales amounted to 18-20m tons.
“The reason are decreasing deliveries from Polish mines”, Jerzy Galemba explained.
“I pointed out several months ago that coal prices would go up and railway exports would be very profitable. Unfortunately, problems with coal exploration appeared in several mines. In effect we miss the chance to make money”, Janusz Olszowski, the CEO of the mining chamber of industry and trade said.
There is coal shortage in the world because of, among others, big demand in China and India. Coal prices have jumped to over USD 120 a ton this year.
The situation is so bad that Weglokoks management
plans to import coal. The company, however, needs the approval of the ministry
of economy.