January 17, 2019 - Russian coal production rose by 6pc, or almost 24mn t, in 2018 compared to 2017 to 433.2mn t, according to data from state energy information agency CDU TEK. This exceeded the energy ministry's forecast of 425mn t. Thermal coal accounts for most of Russia's output, a large proportion of which is exported.

Higher output in the Kemerovo region — home to the Kuzbass coal basin and most of Russia's coal mining assets — drove last year's rise. Output in the region rose by 5pc to 252.7mn t, accounting for almost 60pc of the country's overall production. The region exports over half its output.

Output by small and medium-size Kuzbass-based producers was on the rise. But several large mining firms reduced production or kept it steady.

Mining regions in east Siberia also helped drive to the overall rise in Russian output. But these regions, with the exception of Khakassia, send most of their output to the domestic market. Output in Russia's far east mainland regions rose slightly, while output and exports from Sakhalin island surged. Sakhalin producers hiked output by 43pc to 10.9mn t, CDU TEK data show, mainly because of higher production at East Mining's Solntsevsky opencast, the region's largest coal producer.

Anthracite producers in west Siberia's Novosibirsk region — Siberian Anthracite and Vostokugol's Vostochny opencast — boosted output by a combined 34pc to 14.5mn t last year. Both export most of their output, mainly to Asia-Pacific. 

Find more news, price information and market analysis on Russian coal exports in the Argus Russian Coal report here.