Coal India Ltd (CIL) reported muted demand in its e-auction sales for April 2026, allocating only 39 per cent of the 305.51 lakh tonnes offered under the single-window mode-agnostic (SWMA) route, signalling a subdued start to FY27 despite adequate supply, according to the company’s exchange filing.

The state-run miner allocated 117.74 lakh tonnes during the month, indicating cautious buying by consumers. However, pricing remained resilient, with the average premium over notified prices at 51 per cent, suggesting that buyers continued to pay higher rates for select grades and urgent requirements. This compares with the company’s spot coal sales in the last financial year, when it fetched rates 38 per cent above notified prices.

Demand trends remained uneven across subsidiaries. Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL) and North Eastern Coalfields (NEC) achieved full allocation of their offered quantities, while South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) also saw strong traction with 79 per cent allocation. In contrast, Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) and Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL) lagged significantly, recording allocation levels of 17 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively.

Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL), which offered the highest volume at 94.58 lakh tonnes, saw relatively weak absorption at around 23 per cent, pointing to a mismatch between supply and demand in certain regions or coal types. Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) and Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL) reported moderate performance, with allocation rates of 32 per cent and 53 per cent, respectively.

At the same time, premiums varied widely across subsidiaries, with NEC and NCL recording sharp increases of 90 per cent and 85 per cent over notified prices, respectively, while SECL and ECL also posted strong premiums of 67 per cent and 62 per cent.
Source: business Standard