Indian organization seeks changes to copper scrap import standards

EEPC India, an India-based trade and investment promotion organization, has called for the Indian government to take steps to reduce imports of lower quality copper scrap into the country.

According to an article on The Economic Times of India website, the organization’s call to reduce copper scrap imports stems from its concern that copper and copper product exports from India fell by more than 60 percent in March 2019 because of the shut down of the Tuticorin plant operated by Sterlite in Tamil Nadu, India.

The Economic Times says a statement from EEPC India reads, “In order to prevent the import of inferior quality and hazardous copper scrap, we would also like to suggest that the government should develop internationally compatible standards and may bring a copper scrap policy similar to one for steel scrap.”

“The domestic industry relies heavily on imports of copper concentrate from far off countries, particularly from South Africa, in a big way,” Ravi Sehgal, chairman of EEPC India, says in a statement, according to The Economic Times. “This really increases the cost of production. The duty on the copper concentrate is presently 2.5 percent, while the finished goods coming at zero duty. Thus, there is a situation of inverted duty structure. Government could consider removal of this duty in order to help the industry becoming globally competitive.”