Coal India could see a 4 per cent growth in production in 2024-25, ending the year with a production of around 806-810 million tonnes.

This is below the initial estimate of 838 million tonnes and the revised estimate of 823 million tonnes for the fiscal.

A combination of factors, including a slowdown in offtake with high stock levels at thermal power plants as well as heavy rain affecting production during the second quarter, lead to the revision.

In 2023-24, the public sector miner produced 773.65 million tonnes, with a year-on-year growth of around 10 per cent.

However, Coal India is bullish on growth prospects in 2025-26 with an estimated production of 900 million tonnes, a growth of 11 per cent. Coal India will step up production from major mines for which it has recently received environmental clearance.

On Friday, Coal India chairman P.M. Prasad said several of CIL’s subsidiaries are on course to meet their annual target this year. With over 70 days still left for the fiscal, other subsidiaries are also stepping up production.

“We are optimistic next year there would be good growth,” Prasad said on the sidelines of an event of MGMI along with TAFCON announcing the 11th edition of the Asian Mining Conference and International Mining, Equipment and Mineral Exhibition scheduled between October 30 and November 2, 2025.

Global trend

Slower coal consumption in India, however, is not out of sync with the global trend.

“Global coal consumption is expected to marginally decrease in 2025, and continue falling in 2026, as the transition to renewables and natural gas for power generation accelerates, displacing coal. Demand in China is poised to decline in both years, while India’s demand growth is expected to slow down,” the World Bank said in a December report.