Japan Used Battery Export Price Shows Yearly High in May

Japanese used battery export decreased by 5.5% to 2,889 tonnes to South Korea in May from April while the averaged price increased by 12.9% or 7.9 yen to 69.2 yen per kilogram, which represented first increase in 4 months, according to Ministry of Finance. The export volume and price increased for shipping from the bay in Northern and Western Japan. Around 99% of the Japanese export is to South Korea.

The used battery export price to South Korea recorded the yearly high in May for the first time since January when lead price at London Metal Exchange was high at slightly more than US$ 2,300 per tonne in the middle of April.

The export volume decreased by 60% to 569 tonnes from port of Tokyo in May from April and the price was low at 64.2 yen per kilogram.

On the other hand, the export increased by 106% to 497 tonnes from Ishikari Bay in May from April and the price was 72.3 yen per kilogram. The export from Niigata port was 223 tonnes in May while in April was zero and the price was 74.7 yen. The export from port of Kobe increased to 3.3 times at 330 tonnes in May from April and the price was the highest in Japan at 76.8 yen.

South Korean secondary lead smelters are willing to purchase used battery from Japan. The battery dealers would expect hard time to collect the batteries.