Japan Ferroalloy Import Rises by 4.6% in F2006

Japanese major ferroalloys import increased by 4.6% to 3.439 million tonnes in fiscal 2006 ended March 2007 from fiscal 2005, according to Ministry of Finance. The averaged import unit price increased by 1.5% to more than 130,000 yen per tonne in CIF Japan. The import value increased by 6.1% or 25.8 billion yen to 447.3 billion yen. The import value increased for high priced ferronickel and ferrosilicon while the value decreased for lower priced ferrovanadium. Ferronickel unit price marked widest gain in the ferroalloys items in fiscal 2006. The averaged price increased by 48.5% to CIF 696,000 yen per tonne in the year from fiscal 2005. Ferrovanadium unit price marked widest drop and the price decreased by 44% to 3.223 million yen per tonne. Ferrovanadium import value hit widest drop in the items. The value decreased by 46.8% or 15.5 billion yen to 17.7 billion yen from fiscal 2005. Ferrosilicon import value increased by 28.7% or 11.9 billion yen to 53.3 billion yen. Ferronickel import value increased by 53.2% or 11 billion yen.