South Africa's Jan FeCr exports more than double on aggressive China buying

South Africa's exports of high-carbon ferrochrome (HC FeCr) surged in January, more than doubling from the previous month and reflecting the aggressive stockpiling of Chinese buyers ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday between February 15-23, Mysteel Global learns.

Total exports reached 123,000 tonnes in the first month of 2026, surging 104.3% from December, though volumes remained 67.8% lower compared to the same month last year, according to the latest data from the South African Revenue Service (SARS). The monthly rebound was primarily fueled by a dramatic increase in