* Utilisation rates at coking plants inched up * Steel futures traded within tight range BEIJING, March 17 (Reuters) - Chinese coking coal futures rose more than 3% to a nearly one-month high on Wednesday, propped up by strong demand as coking plants are actively producing to chase profits despite a recent drop in spot coke prices. Some steel mills started to lower their purchase price of coke for the fifth time this year by 100 yuan ($15.38) per tonne to rebalance uneven profit distribution at coking plants and steelmakers. However, profits earned by coke producers are still decent, analysts said. “Utilisation rates at coking plants increased slightly by 0.8% last week from the week earlier,” GF Futures wrote in a note, “coke producers are still profitable and willing to produce. “