The object of the present invention is to provide a needle
coke for a
graphite electrode, which suppresses puffing of the needle
coke and improves the production yield and performances of
graphite electrodes without incurring a large cost in the production of a needle
coke, and also provide a production method and an inhibitor therefor. An inhibitor for
graphite electrode production, including at least one of a
metal consisting of an element (Mβ) and an
oxide comprising the element (Mβ), wherein the element (Mβ) is at least one element selected from the group consisting of group 4 elements, group 8 elements, group 9 elements, group 10 elements, group 13 elements, group 14 elements and group 15 elements of the long-form
periodic table, or including at least one of the
metal consisting of an element (Mβ) and a compound including the element (Mβ), wherein the inhibitor volatilizes at a temperature of 2100 to 6000 °C.