China customs figures reported via Mysteel and 中国硫酸网 put 2024 sulfur imports at 9.952 million tonnes, up 12.7 percent, or 1.12 million tonnes, year on year, despite domestic output rising to 11.13 million tonnes, up 1.2 percent. Average import price was about $116.3 per tonne, down 8.4 percent year on year. The item is at https://www.mysteel.net/news/5076411-2024-china-sulfur-imports-grow-13-despite-of-higher-production.
Top origins were UAE 1.70 million tonnes, Canada 1.66 million tonnes, Korea 1.19 million tonnes, Saudi Arabia 1.13 million tonnes, and Qatar 0.77 million tonnes. Canada as second origin is the Vancouver stem in a Chinese customs table. Gulf-4 together, UAE, Saudi, Qatar, and implied others, still dominate. 2026's mix shift that halved Gulf-4 share starts from this 2024 stack.
A 12.7 percent import increase at an 8.4 percent lower average price is a surplus-year Chinese bid. 2025 would reverse it: 9.61 million tonnes, down 3.5 percent, at $274 average, up 134 percent. 2024 is the last cheap, large Chinese import year on the tape.
Alberta recovered sulfur still leaves mainly through Vancouver. 1.66 million tonnes into China is about half of VFPA's 3.35 million tonne 2024 sulphur year. The other half went to Australia, the United States, Indonesia, and others. A stem that is half China is a stem that 2025-26 destination diversification would have to rewrite.
December 2024 Chinese imports of 760,000 tonnes at $160.6 per tonne average, up 45.6 percent year on year, were the early firming signal into 2025 after a soft full-year $116 average. Fourth-quarter Tampa at $116 per long ton, USGS, is the Florida rhyme. Two $116 prints, one CIF China annual average, one Tampa Q4 contract, different units and books.
Domestic Chinese output at 11.13 million tonnes plus 9.95 million tonnes imported is a 21 million tonne sulfur-unit availability before exports of acid and phosphate. IFA saw MAP and DAP production up 4 percent to 66.8 million tonnes in 2024, led by China plus 2 million tonnes and Morocco plus 1.1 million, still below 2020 peaks. Sulfur intensity grew with that phosphate, and with Indonesian HPAL, without restoring 2022 prices.
Middle East refining upgrades flagged by USGS MCS 2025 to lift sulfur supply from 2025, and HPAL battery-materials demand, are the 2025 setup. 2024 China's 9.95 million tonne import year is the demand base those upgrades would meet, until Hormuz closed the upgrades' loading door.
Figures follow Mysteel and China customs. Licensed weekly grids are not restated.