- SAIL Durgapur’s offered volumes halve in May’26
- Firm demand, limited availability push up prices
India’s crude coal tar (CCT) market witnessed a sharp decline in auctioned volumes during May 2026, with total quantities offered through plant auctions falling by around 31% m-o-m to 33,669 t, according to BigMint’s auction tracking. The reduction in availability, coupled with firm downstream demand and higher input costs, supported a rise in domestic CCT prices during the month.
BigMint’s monthly assessment indicated that crude coal tar prices in eastern India increased by INR 900/t m-o-m to settle at around INR 53,200/t exw Rourkela in May 2026, driven by constrained supply availability, steady demand, rising crude oil prices, and higher pitch prices.
SAIL records strong buyer participation
Among key suppliers, SAIL’s offered volume halved to 27,490 t in May compared to 42,800 t in April, with full allocation achieved. The steep drop was due to lower volumes from the Durgapur unit; in contrast, both Rourkela and Bhilai increased their offered volumes.
SAIL Rourkela offered 10,000 t in May 2026, up from 7,000 t in April. Similarly, SAIL Bhilai offered 6,989 t of CCT in May 2026, higher than the previous month’s offering of 4,194 t. Meanwhile, SAIL Durgapur offered 10,500 t in May 2026, lower than the 22,600 t offered during April.
The complete booking of available volumes highlighted firm demand from consumers despite higher prevailing prices. The strong response was supported by stable operations in downstream industries and expectations of continued firmness in domestic CCT prices.
NMDC Nagarnar, RINL support domestic supply availability
NMDC Limited’s Nagarnar plant contributed 4,500 t to the market in May 2026, marginally higher than 4,000 t offered in April.
Meanwhile, RINL offered 1,680 t in May 2026 compared with 840 t in April, with the entire quantity successfully booked. The full allocation reflected consistent demand from regional consumers and limited availability of alternative spot material.
Outlook
Going forward, the CCT market is expected to remain firm in June, supported by restricted auction availability, steady downstream demand, and higher input costs linked to crude oil and pitch markets. However, the price upside may remain limited as buyers continue to evaluate affordability at elevated levels.
Any improvement in auction volumes from major steel plants could ease supply pressure, while sustained demand from aluminium, electrode, and other carbon product manufacturers is likely to keep market fundamentals supportive. Overall, CCT prices are expected to experience a positive bias in the coming weeks, depending on supply releases and raw material cost trends.
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