Business
Indian stainless steel sector drowning in Chinese imports
The first half of 2021-22 has seen a 185 per cent increase in stainless steel imports compared to the average monthly imports in the last fiscal, creating havoc for the Indian players.
The import tide of stainless steel from China and Indonesia is fast turning into a deluge destroying many companies on its way, and threatening the very existence of the small, medium and micro industries in India. After all, the first half of 2021-22 witnessed a staggering 185% increase in import volumes of stainless steel flat products compared to the average monthly imports in the last fiscal, fuelled mostly by surge in Chinese and Indonesian imports.
The two countries China and Indonesia, which increased their exports by 300 per cent and 339 per cent, respectively, in the first half of this fiscal compared to the average monthly imports of the last fiscal, now have a share of 79 per cent of the total stainless steel flat product imports in the first half of FY22. It is a significant jump compared to the 44 per cent share in FY21. The average per month imports has jumped from 34,105 tonnes per month in FY21 to 63,154 tonnes per month this current fiscal–FY 22.
Indonesia’s imports share, which was virtually non-existent in 2016-17, has climbed to 23 per cent in the first half of this fiscal, with its average monthly exports increasing from 4,355 tonnes/month in the last fiscal to 14,766 tonnes/month in the first half of this fiscal. China’s average monthly exports too has jumped from 10,697 tonnes/month in the last fiscal to 35,269 tonnes/month in the first half of this fiscal.
The surge in imports was the result of the Finance Ministry’s decision of September 30, 2021 to revoke the imposition of CVD on China (September 2017) and end provisional duties on Indonesia (October 2020), which was based on the recommendations of the Director-General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), after a detailed investigation. The investigation had revealed that the two countries were resorting to non-WTO compliant subsidies to boost their exports to India and causing injury to Indian manufacturers.
In fact, the DGTR and their global counterparts had conclusively proved in its final finding that both these countries provide non-WTO compliant subsidies to the tune of 20 per cent to 30 per cent to their stainless steel manufacturers. And, these subsidies have created an imbalance in the Indian and international markets, reduced the competitiveness of Indian products in the domestic industry, causing material injury and persistent financial stress for home-grown businesses. It has forced the domestic industry to seek redressal from the surge in imports.
In fact, in India a disaggregated study of imported products in the first half of the current fiscal also reveals how excessive dumping has taken place in a particular J3 grade of stainless steel in the country. Imports of J3, a subsidised and dumped 200 series grade of stainless steel, with about 1 per cent nickel and 13 per cent chromium from China, has jumped from an average of 1,779 tonnes/month in 2019 to an average of 4,425 tonnes/month in 20-21 (249 per cent increase) and to average 25,346 tonnes to in just six months of 2021-22 (1,424 per cent) increase compared to the same period last year.
The share of this grade in total imports from China increased 23 per cent in 2019-20 to 72 per cent in 2021-22. Much of this import is even below the scrap prices and it hurts the MSME sector, the hardest. Such dumping also means major losses in terms of national exchequer through tax evasion and revenue losses.
This onslaught of Chinese exports to India has decimated the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), which had to bear the brunt of the impact. In fact, the imposition of provisional CVD on Indonesia in October 2020 and CVD on China in place from September 2017, had provided a “level-playing field” to these players, which got a much-needed relief from the dumped subsidised imports. The MSME, an industry having the capacity to produce about 1.2 lakh tonnes of hot and cold-rolled flat products, was able to operate at 90 per cent plus capacity utilization between October 2020 to February 2021.
However, the MSME sector suddenly finds itself grasping for breath to survive after the announcements of the 2021-22 Budget. Small-scale stainless- steel rollers and re-rollers, who make ingots from recyclable scrap as the first step in stainless- steel product manufacturing, and then produce hot and cold rolled materials for the all-India market, find themselves swamped by a massive and subsidised surge of imports from China and Indonesia.
Today, more than 80 induction furnaces and 500 patti/patta units, which provides primary raw materials for various downstream industries, are in dire straits. These downstream industries manufacture a variety of stainless steel household goods such as kitchenware, tableware, cooking range, sanitary items, cutlery pots, etc.
Prakash Jain, President, All India Stainless Steel Cold Roller Association, says: “The smaller Indian stainless steel players finds it virtually impossible to compete with the state-subsidised Chinese players, who get an 18 per cent incentive to export, under invoice their products by changing the label of the products to avoid paying duties and sell it at Rs 15 to Rs 17 per tonne cheaper in the Indian market.”
According to Jain, Gujarat has 70 rolling mills, each employing around 300 people and 50 induction furnaces, which makes ingots, the raw material for rolling mills and employs 500 each.
Not only will many of these jobs be lost resulting in massive unemployment but force many manufacturers to turn traders unless the CVD is imposed on imports from China and Indonesia.
New Delhi, May 7: US tech giant Apple has announced an investment of Rs 100 crore to support the development of renewable energy infrastructure in India as part of its broader sustainability and carbon neutrality goals.
The company said the investment will be made in collaboration with CleanMax, one of India’s leading renewable energy developers, to help build more than 150 megawatts of new renewable energy capacity across the country.
According to the iPhone maker, the planned capacity would be enough to power nearly 1.5 lakh Indian households annually and may be expanded further in the coming years.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening renewable energy adoption across Apple’s supply chain operations in India and supports the company’s target of becoming carbon neutral across its entire footprint by 2030.
“At Apple, our commitment to the environment is also a driving force for innovation across the company and around the world,” said Sarah Chandler, Apple’s Vice President of Environment and Supply Chain Innovation.
“We are proud to expand our efforts to invest in India’s clean energy economy and protect the country’s precious natural resources,” she added.
Moreover, the US-headquartered firm had earlier partnered with CleanMax on rooftop solar projects to power its offices and retail stores in India with 100 per cent renewable energy.
Apart from renewable energy investments, it also announced new partnerships in India focused on reducing plastic pollution and promoting green entrepreneurship.
The company said it is working with WWF-India to support recycling and waste management initiatives to improve material recovery and reducing plastic leakage into ecosystems.
The iPhone maker is also partnering with Acumen to provide grants and mentorship support to early-stage green enterprises working in areas such as waste management, regenerative agriculture, and circular economy solutions.
Mumbai, Gold and silver traded higher on Wednesday, tracking weakness in oil prices and the dollar index, with both precious metals gaining up to 3 per cent.
On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures (June 5) opened at Rs 1,52,000 per 10 grams, up Rs 2,247 or 1.5 per cent from the previous close of Rs 1,49,753.
At 11:30 am, gold was trading at Rs 1,52,419, up Rs 2,666 or 1.78 per cent. So far in the session, the yellow metal has touched an intraday high of Rs 1,52,450, up Rs 2,697 or 1.8 per cent. At the intraday low, it was still trading higher by Rs 1,900 or 1.26 per cent at Rs 1,51,653.
Meanwhile, silver futures (July 3) opened at Rs 2,49,316 per kg — also the intraday low so far — a jump of Rs 5,000 or 2.04 per cent from the previous close. At the time of filing the report, it was trading at Rs 2,51,699, up Rs 7,383 or 3.02 per cent.
In the international market as well, precious metals were trading higher. COMEX gold was up 1.92 per cent at $4,656 per ounce, while silver gained 3.45 per cent to $76.12 per ounce.
Analysts said gold prices edged higher after recovering from a one-month low, supported by easing concerns over US-Iran tensions and some stability in oil prices.
However, elevated crude prices and expectations of a prolonged higher interest rate environment continue to cap gains in bullion, they added.
In addition, the dollar index slipped 0.34 per cent to 97.97. The dollar index measures the US dollar’s strength against a basket of six major currencies, the euro, Japanese yen, pound sterling, Canadian dollar, Swedish krona and Swiss franc.
Typically, a weaker dollar supports prices of precious metals like gold and silver.
On Tuesday, international oil benchmark Brent crude fell 2.30 per cent to $107.33 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude declined 3 per cent to $99.12 per barrel.
Mumbai, May 4: Gold and silver prices declined up to 1 per cent on Monday amid signs of easing geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran, following remarks by US President Donald Trump.
On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold contracts for June 5 opened at Rs 1,51,150, down Rs 382 or 0.25 per cent from the previous close of Rs 1,51,532.
At around 11.30 a.m., gold was trading at Rs 1,50,623, lower by Rs 729 or 0.48 per cent. The yellow metal touched an intraday low of Rs 1,50,400, a decline of 0.62 per cent or Rs 952, and an intraday high of Rs 1,51,347.
On the other hand, silver contracts for July 3 opened at Rs 2,50,699, down Rs 238 or 0.09 per cent compared to the previous close of Rs 2,50,937. The white metal was trading at Rs 2,49,600, down Rs 1,337 or 0.53 per cent.
So far in the session, silver futures hit a low of Rs 2,49,600, a decrease of 1.05 per cent or Rs 2,599, and a high of Rs 2,51,231.
Meanwhile, in the international market, both precious metals remained under pressure. COMEX gold was down 0.55 per cent at $4,619 per ounce, while silver declined 0.48 per cent to $76.065 per ounce.
A commodity market expert said gold prices extended last week’s decline, hovering near one-month lows, as a stronger dollar and elevated crude oil prices weighed on sentiment.
The expert further noted that while easing US-Iran tensions reduced some safe-haven demand, supply risks in the Strait of Hormuz continued to fuel inflation concerns, prompting a cautiously hawkish stance from major central banks, which also weighed on bullion.
US President Donald Trump said the United States would initiate efforts to help vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, describing the move as a humanitarian gesture aimed at assisting neutral countries not involved in the ongoing US-Iran conflict.
According to Trump, Washington would launch ‘Project Freedom’ to guide the stranded ships and their crews safely through the route.
However, he warned that Iran would face a strong response if any threat emerged.
In addition, crude oil prices declined sharply.
Brent crude fell 0.61 per cent to $107.51 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped 2.77 per cent to $99.11 a barrel.
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