India is set to make a decision soon on whether to implement import restrictions on metallurgical coke, a crucial ingredient in steelmaking. According to a source with direct knowledge of the matter, the country’s trade ministry is deliberating on the issue, which could significantly impact the steel industry.
India, the second-largest producer of crude steel in the world, proposed a plan in April to safeguard local suppliers of low-ash metallurgical coke by imposing country-specific quotas. Under the plan, annual imports would be limited to 2.85 million metric tons for one year. The decision is expected in the near future, with the source indicating that there are differing pressures from the steel industry and metallurgical coke producers.
The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) of the trade ministry announced in April that the curbs were intended to shield domestic met coke producers from the growing influx of imports, which have surged by more than 61% in the last four years. The proposal includes setting quotas on imports from key suppliers, including China, Japan, Indonesia, Poland, and Switzerland.
However, in June, India’s federal steel ministry expressed concerns that these import restrictions could negatively affect local steel production. The ministry argued that the curbs might hinder the availability of key materials for steelmakers in the country.
Despite these concerns, the trade ministry has yet to comment on the matter and the decision is expected to be made soon as the government continues to weigh the conflicting interests of the steel industry and metallurgical coke producers.
