India's aluminium scraps import increases 22% in April-October FY2018-2019

Aluminium scraps import by India increased by 22.3 per cent during April-October period of financial year 2018-2019, according to data from the Aluminium Association of India (AAI). India imported 7, 73,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap during April-October, from 6,32, 000 tonnes during the same period of 2017-18.

In October 2018, the country’s aluminium scrap import stood at 1,16,000 tonnes. The import of aluminium scrap was 6,57,000 tonne during April-September period of financial year 2018-2019.

"During April-October of financial year 2018-19, the import of aluminium scrap was 22 per cent up at 7,73,000 tonne from 6,32,000 tonne in April-October of 2017-18. We had already requested the government to increase the duty on imports of aluminium scrap and apprised the government that Indian aluminium sector may become a victim of escalating trade war between the U.S. and China," the AAI report said.

The domestic aluminium industry is facing immense threat in the wake of ongoing trade tiff between the two major economies—the U.S. and China, the AAI report added.

AAI had urged Indian government to impose higher import duty on aluminium scrap to protect domestic primary aluminium industry.

An AAI official had said: “In both the quarters, there is a rise. The government must take immediate steps to restrict the import of low quality scrap. It is a major threat posing the industry.

“We have suggested an increase in the duty to 10 per cent on scrap from the current 2.5 per cent. We also want quantitative restrictions to be put in place.”

On Wednesday December 26, Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said that the commerce ministry is in favour of increasing import duty on aluminium with a view to support domestic manufacturers.“That is a proposal to protect our domestic industry. The proposal is under examination and we support the proposal,” Prabhu told PTI.