Posted on 29 Apr 2015
Steel scrap import has stopped with the revised guidelines in the latest
Foreign Trade Policy, which mandate photography of every step of scrap
uploading in containers at the origin.
This is likely to hit about 10 million tonnes of India’s steel
production of 88 mt in 2014-15. “Secondary steel producers like us are
facing huge problems. It is a futile exercise by the government. What’s
the point in reopening the container after filming? No one intends to
import garbage instead of metal. There can be better ways to govern like
third-party inspection, agencies' certification, etc,” said Ankit
Miglani, deputy managing director, Uttam Galva Steel, India’s largest
producer of the galvanised product.
Until March 31, third-party inspection and certification were accepted,
though at the sole responsibility of importers. The government now
wishes to prevent import of radioactive material with the metal scrap.
“Shipments have stopped due to the lack of clarity on the implementation
of videography. Pre-shipment inspection agencies have stopped
inspection of cargo, as the new guidelines require a trained expert in
radioactivity to inspect goods,” said Sanjay Mehta, managing director of
MTC Business Pvt Ltd, the country's largest processor of metallic
scrap, with a monthly volume of around 1.5 mt. After 8.16 mt in 2012-13,
steel scrap import was only 4.78 mt in 2013-14, due to lower demand
from consumer industries. In 2014-15, it is estimated at 9.6 mt.
| Import of metallic ferrous waste and scrap | ||
| Financial year | Quantity (million tonnes) | Value (Rs crore) |
| 2011-12 | 6.96 | 18893.82 |
| 2012-13 | 8.19 | 24356.5 |
| 2013-14 | 4.78 | 16454.93 |
| Source : Press Information Bureau | ||
