Platts reported that Eramet SA (EPA:ERA) anticipates a global nickel deficit in 2015 to 2017 if Indonesia sticks to its guns regarding its ban on the export of unprocessed nickel.

As quoted in the market news:

Speaking at a company news conference in Tokyo, [Bertrand Madelin, CEO of Eramet Nickel,] said China’s port stocks of nickel ore are likely to run low at the end of this year, and the world will run ‘a slight deficit’ of nickel after a 150,000 mt of surplus in 2013.

China’s stocks are running low due to Indonesia banning unprocessed nickel exports in January.

‘We could have a real deficit in 2015. If Indonesia’s ban on unprocessed nickel exports is strictly implemented and if the Philippines has a similar ban policy, the world will be in deficit in 2015, 2016 and 2017.’

Click here to read the full Platts report.