World primary aluminium production shrinks 3% M-o-M to 5.56MT in April but increases 5% over the year

World primary aluminium production stood at 5.560 million tonnes in April 2021, reflecting a month-on-month downfall of 3.20 per cent from 5.744 million tonnes, showed the International Aluminium Institute. On a year-on-year calculation, the output in April edged higher by 5.26 per cent from 5.282 million tonnes.

In the first four months of 2021, world primary aluminium production totalled 22.215 million tonnes, down by 3.91 per cent from 21.347 million tonnes during the same period last year.

In China, the world’s largest aluminium producer, primary aluminium output in April 2021 came in at 3.223 million tonnes – 3.21 per cent less than 3.330 million tonnes in March 2021 but up by 7.68 per cent from 2.993 million tonnes in April 2020. In total four months of the year, China produced 12.874 million tonnes of primary aluminium compared to 12.045 million tonnes during January-April 2020.

In the GCC countries, aluminium production in April this year stood at 476,000 tonnes, indicating a decline of 20,000 tonnes or 4.20 per cent from 476,000 tonnes in March 2021. On a year-on-year calculation, the output in April stood down by 5,000 tonnes or 1.04 per cent from 481,000 tonnes.

During January-April 2021, GCC countries' primary aluminium production stood at 1.917 million tonnes, registering a downfall of 1.74 per cent year-on-year from 1.951 million tonnes.

In Asia (ex-China), primary aluminium production came in at 366,000 tonnes in April 2021, bringing the total output in the first four months of the year to 1.459 million tonnes. Production in April 2021 stood month-on-month down by 3.17 per cent from 378,000 tonnes but increased over the year by 9.91 per cent from 333,000 tonnes.

In the Oceania region, aluminium production stood at 157,000 tonnes in April, inching down by 3.09 per cent from 162,000 tonnes in March. However, on a year-on-year calculation, the production edged 2,000 tonnes higher than 155,000 tonnes.