&lt;Quintette Coals Ltd> of Canada and Japanese steelmakers failed to agree on the Canadian coal base price over four years from April 1 but agreed to have another round of talks in late May officials involved said. Japanese firms have asked for the base price to be set at 44 U.S. Dlrs per tonne (FOB) sharply lower than the 75 to 76 dlrs of the past four years they tolds. The base price is reviewed every four years under the long-term accord. The Canadian mine insisted on maintaining the present price they said. Japanese firms bought 4.75 mln tonnes of Quintette coal in 1986/87 and plan to buy the same volume in 1987/88 depending on the result of the talks the officials said. They added Japan has no plans to withdraw its price cutback request due to recent falls in coking coal prices on the world market. Meanwhile &lt;Gregg River Co> of Canada has agreed on a Japanese proposal to set a temporary price of 75.80 Canadian dlrs on and after May shipment following the failure of the 1987/88 price talks they said. Japanese firms plan to buy 150000 tonnes of Gregg River coal for May shipment and hold another round of talks with Gregg in late May they added.
JAPAN STEELMAKERS, CANADA MINE DISCUSS COAL PRICE