Railway freight in decline

Railway freight volume fell last month according to China Railway Corp data released on Tuesday.

The June total was 308.43 million metric tons, a 3.1 percent decrease from May and a 1.4 percent decline from the same period last year.

Of total freight volume, 308.30 million tons were cargo and 130,000 tons parcels.

Average daily freight volume was 158,699 units, an increase of 337 compared to May.

Hu Siji, professor at Beijing Jiaotong University School of Traffic and Transportation, said the decrease in freight activity should come as no surprise.

"The macro-economic situation has continued to be not very positive and railway freight is no exception," Hu said. "The railway sector has put in significant efforts to develop new businesses and actively search for new supply of goods but ultimately the results have not been ideal".