Shanghai Metals Market customs analysis puts China January-June 2026 sulfur imports at about 2.26 million tonnes, down 57.7 percent from about 5.34 million tonnes a year earlier, with the monthly average falling from about 0.80 million tonnes to about 0.38 million tonnes. Full-year 2025 imports were about 9.61 million tonnes. The article is at https://news.metal.com/newscontent/104014208-smm-analysis-three-charts-illustrating-chinas-sulphur-and-sulphuric-acid-customs-import-and-export-in-h1-2026.
Gulf-4 share of China's import mix roughly halved, from about 35 percent to about 20 percent, while South Korea, Oman, and Canada rose to a combined about 58 percent. June imports of about 0.147 million tonnes marked a multi-year low. The mix shift is the swing-supplier story. The volume collapse is the phosphate-cut story.
SunSirs had already put May 2026 Chinese sulfur imports at 268,300 tonnes, down 66.41 percent year on year, the second-lowest monthly volume in nearly 20 years, with average import price about $798.96 per tonne. Cumulative January-May was 2.1154 million tonnes, down 51.44 percent. Phosphate fertilizer utilization was reported toward about 40 percent for MAP and about 30 percent for DAP.
China customs from mid-March stopped accepting export declarations for mainstream MAP, DAP, and related phosphates through August, implementing a December industry consensus. Leading producers including Yuntianhua, Xingfa, and Xinyangfeng halted outbound phosphate fertilizer shipments. A country that is both cutting phosphate runs and blocking phosphate exports does not import 9.61 million tonnes of sulfur in 2026.
Canada's rise in China's remaining import mix is not a claim that Vancouver filled the Gulf hole inside China. It is a claim that among the tonnes China still took, Canada, Oman, and South Korea took share from Gulf-4. VFPA's 2025 table already had China down 16 percent to 1.30 million tonnes. SMM's later June Canadian destination table put China at only 32,730 tonnes that month.
Oman showing up in the mix is a Red Sea and Arabian Sea workaround, consistent with mid-May trade-press discussion of Duqm and Saudi Red Sea ports as limited Middle East alternatives. South Korea is a refining origin. Canada is the Pacific recovered-sulfur origin. None of those three is Saudi, UAE, Qatar, or Kuwait loading through Hormuz.
Alberta recovered sulfur still leaves mainly through the Vancouver stem. A Chinese import collapse of 57.7 percent is the largest demand print on that stem in 2026. Destination diversification toward Indonesia and the United States, in the June Canadian customs note, is how the stem cleared tonnes China did not take.
Tampa Q3 molten at $705 per long ton (Argus, https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/latest-market-news/2851577-tampa-3q-liquid-sulphur-price-hits-record-705-lt) shows the Atlantic phosphate system still bidding. China's MAP and DAP utilization at 30-40 percent shows the Pacific phosphate system stepping back. Two-hub North America is living that split.
SMM's three-chart H1 customs piece is the source for the 2.26 million tonne total, the mix shift, and the June low. Licensed weekly assessment grids are not redistributed.