Strict Control on Phosphate Rock Export           

On October 15th, the Ministry of Commerce issued the "Standard for the Qualification of Enterprises Doing Phosphate Rock Export in 2009" (version for opinion solicitation). It covers phosphate rock varieties under HS codes of 25101010, 25101090, 25102010 and 25102090.
    It is stipulated in the document that production enterprises doing phosphate rock export in 2009 should have the following qualifications: Their annual export amount of phosphate rock (including the supply for other exporters) should reach more than 20 000 tons during 2006 to 2008; and the enterprises should hold phosphate rock mining license, safe production license and mine director certificate; They conform to laws and regulations on environmental protection; They have medium and low-grade phosphate rock flotation dressing and gravity dressing units with a capacity of exceeding 300 000 t/a, under the approval of relevant government departments; They have got long-term supply contracts for over one year from 2008 to 2010.
   Trading firms when doing phosphate rock export in 2009 should have the following qualifications: Their annual export amount of phosphate rock reached more than 10 000 tons from 2006 to 2008; They must purchase phosphate rock from rock producers who have constructed medium and low-grade phosphate rock flotation dressing and gravity dressing units with a capacity of exceeding 300 000 t/a with the approval of relevant government departments.
    The document says that the state exercises strict control on enterprises doing phosphate rock exports.
    According to customs statistics, the export amount of phosphate rock in China was 1.087 million tons in the first seven months of 2008, an increase of 93.4% over the same period of last year, mainly to ASEAN and Korea. During January to July 2008, China exported 294 000 tons of phosphate rock to ASEAN, an annual increase of 206.8 times, 290 000 tons of phosphate rock to Korea, a drop of 25%; 189 000 tons of phosphate rock to Japan, an increase of 25.2%; and 169 000 tons of phosphate rock to India and there was no export for India in the same period of 2007. The total phosphate rock export amount to ASEAN, Korea, Japan and India accounted for 86.6% of the national total.
    Most enterprises doing phosphate rock export are located in Guizhou province. The export amount of phosphate rock in Guizhou province was 800 000 tons from January to July 2008, an increase of 60.2% over the same period of last year and accounting for 73.6% of the national total. The phosphate rock export amount contributed by Beijing firms was 137 000 tons in the first seven months, and there was no export in the same period of last year.