A group of 12 Chinese anthracite coal producers called for a 10% cut to current production levels across the sector due to low demand related to the coronavirus pandemic, Bloomberg News reported April 19.

The group asked coal producers to limit output, reduce inventory and eliminate outdated capacity to address a supply-demand imbalance and said producers should also stop providing price discounts and other sales promotions to maintain profit margins, according to the report.

Demand for anthracite coal has yet to recover despite strong output, the companies wrote in a statement published on the China Coal Transport & Distribution Association website, Bloomberg said. The group had urged coking coal companies to impose similar production cuts in May to boost prices.

China achieved record coal production in March as its government sought sufficient energy supply as it worked to control the spread of the coronavirus, the report said, citing data from the country's statistics bureau. Subsequently, domestic thermal coal prices decreased to their lowest since 2016, Bloomberg noted.

Southern China's Guangzhou port recently halted coal imports after reaching its allowance for the year.