In November 2025, China's sulfur imports were 487,000 tons, a month-on-month decrease of 29.26% and a year-on-year decrease of 28.08%; from January to November, China's cumulative sulfur imports were 9.186 million tons, a decrease of 0.07% compared with the same period last year.
02 Influencing Factors
Imports: In November, the import volume of sulfur continued to decline month-on-month, with a decrease of 29.26%. The sulfur resources arriving at ports in November were mostly from import orders finalized around October. During this period, the international sulfur market price rose significantly, resulting in a consistent price inversion between domestic sulfur spot prices and international market prices. Importers' enthusiasm for purchasing decreased, and their interest in chasing high prices was limited, which curbed their purchasing interest. Therefore, the import volume in November dropped significantly both year-on-year and month-on-month.
03 Import Structure
3.1 Import Producing and Consuming Countries
In November 2025, according to the statistics of importing countries and regions, the top five sources of China's sulfur imports are: Oman, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, India, and Japan. The total import volume from these five countries is 401,100 tons, accounting for approximately 82.31% of the total import volume of the month.
3.2 Import Registration Location
In November 2025, based on statistics by place of registration, the top five regions in China in terms of sulfur imports are: Yunnan Province, Hainan Province, Jiangsu Province, Shanghai, and Sichuan Province. The total import volume of these five regions is 396,200 tons, accounting for 81.31%.
04 Trend Forecast
In December 2025, China's sulfur imports are expected to remain low. The main basis for this judgment is as follows: as of December 23, the planned arrival volume of solid and liquid sulfur in December is currently about 339,300 tons, and the planned arrival volume in December is expected to decrease significantly compared with that in November. In addition, the price of the US dollar market continues to consolidate at a high level, and importers' purchasing sentiment is expected to remain cautious, with insufficient interest in resource procurement. Considering the above factors, it is expected that sulfur imports in December will be at a low level within the year.
