Major smelter shutdowns slash South Africa's 2025 ferrochrome exports

South Africa's exports of high-carbon ferrochrome (HC FeCr) plunged 50.8% year-on-year to 1.77 million tonnes in 2025, according to the latest data from the South African Revenue Service (SARS). The dramatic decline had stemmed from widespread production stoppages across the country's ferrochrome sector, Mysteel Global notes.

Key markets saw severe contractions in shipping volumes from the country, with exports to China for example, the top destination, plummeting by 63.2% on year to 473,000 tonnes in 2025. Shipments to Mozambique fell 60.4% to 453,000 tonnes last year, while volumes exported to Indonesia dropped 57.3% to 30,000