Price trend

According to monitoring data from the SunSirs commodity price analysis system: the price of activated charcoal was 12,766 RMB/ton at the beginning of the month and 12,883 RMB/ton at the end of the month, representing a price increase of 0.91%.

Market Analysis

Domestic activated charcoal manufacturers maintained firm pricing this month. The ex-factory price of coconut shell activated charcoal for water purification (iodine value 1000) ranged from 11,000 to 13,500 RMB/ton, while the mainstream ex-factory price for iodine value 800 was approximately 9,500 RMB/ton (including tax), and iodine value 900 was quoted at 9,800-10,200 RMB/ton. In December 2025, China's imports of fruit shell activated charcoal (mainly coconut shell charcoal) reached 17,983.77 tons, a 21% increase month-on-month and a significant 52% increase year-on-year, reflecting the continued strong downstream demand.

Starting January 1, 2026, a fundamental change took place in the global maritime shipping policy for coconut shell charcoal: coconut shell charcoal must be declared and transported as dangerous goods. This is primarily due to the amendments in the 42-24 edition of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) IMDG Code. The new regulations eliminate exemptions and strictly control packaging, temperature, transportation, documentation, and storage. Chinese coconut shell activated charcoal companies will soon face increased costs and compliance challenges.

Market outlook

Domestic demand for coconut shell activated charcoal is recovering, and activated charcoal prices are expected to trend upwards with some fluctuations in the short term.

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