China’s sulphuric acid export halt tightens global supply

China’s sulphuric acid exports fell 49% year on year to 666,808 t in the first four months of 2026 as Beijing moved from quota controls to a full export halt from May, removing a key supplier from the seaborne market at a time of already tight balances. CRU analysis of Global Trade Tracker (GTT) data shows that January–April shipments were capped by a 700,000 t export quota designed to protect domestic supply, ahead of a policy shift that has now “halted all exports from the beginning of May through to the end of 2026”, effectively turning China into a “no market” in CRU’s weekly assessments since early May.

The export mix in the first four months underlines how broad the disruption will be for international buyers. Indonesia was the largest outlet over January–April with 163,119 t, down 22% year on year, followed by Chile at 119,890 t, a 75% drop, and Saudi Arabia at 103,039 t, down 37%. In contrast, India increased purchases by 20% to 102,488 t and the Philippines by 68% to 63,929 t, as importers scrambled to secure tonnes ahead of the expected shutdown. In April alone, exports totalled 138,447 t, led by Indonesia (59,699 t), Chile (30,000 t), Saudi Arabia (19,039 t) and Vietnam (18,733 t), leaving little room under the 700,000 t cap and signalling that volumes would fall to zero from May.