State-run Coal India Limited or CIL said Wednesday its coal output totaled 42.58 million mt in May, 2.06 million mt short of its target of 44.64 million mt for the month, but still up 3.9% year on year.
Over April-May, the first two months of its fiscal 2016-17, output totaled 82.93 million mt, below target of 89.12 million mt but edging up from 82.51 million mt in the same period a year earlier.
Coal offtake by customers totaled 45.53 million mt for May, below CIL's target of 50.90 million mt. Over April-May, offtake totaled 88.23 million mt, below target of 102.36 million mt.
However, the coal major said its average coal loadings in May rose 3.5% to 213.3 rakes/day from 206.1 rakes/day a year earlier.
Coal-fired power utilities across India continue to hold adequate stocks with no utility reporting a critically low level, CIL said.
Coal stocks at power utilities stood at 32.65 million mt end May, equating to 22 days' requirements, it added.
The company's pithead stocks fell 5.07 million mt to 52.57 million mt at end May from 57.64 million mt at end April.
CIL has a coal production target of 598.60 million mt for the current fiscal year 2016-17.
