Chinese RCP Imports Up 26.3%, Pulp Up 36.6%

China's recovered paper (RCP) imports rose 26.3% to around 2.609 million tonnes in March, up from some 2.066 million tonnes in the previous month, according to data from China Customs.

The big increase in March intake is ascribed to the long Chinese Lunar New Year holiday in February.
March's figure was nonetheless 10.9% lower than the 2.928 million tonnes recorded in March 2012.
Total RCP imports in the first three months came in at 7.193 million tonnes, slipping 0.5% from the year-earlier period. 

China's total pulp imports surged 36.6% in March compared to the previous month, soaring to nearly 1.490 million tonnes, according to data from China Customs..
The March spike was due to the week-long Chinese Lunar New Year holiday in February, as pulp cargoes had been arranged to avoid arriving in the country during the long vacation period. Large quantities were therefore delivered to the country in March.
But March's total pulp import figure was 8.7% lower than the 1.631 million tonnes recorded in the same month of 2012.
Pulp imports for the first quarter totaled some 3.944 million tonnes, a decrease of 9.5% from the preceding year.