The Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) batting for the domestic steel industry has urged the government to reduce iron ore prices by about 25 per cent. In a communication addressed to Union Steel and Mines Minister, the industry body said that “Asian economies like China, Japan and Korea have become more competitive and are exporting steel to India at throwaway prices due to drop in platts iron ore index thereby creating huge problem in India and posing threat to survival and sustainability of domestic steel industry.”
ASSOCHAM has noted that iron ore prices in international market have been dropping continuously and it had also dropped substantially in March this year. The platts index in global market has fallen from $63 per ton to $54 per ton i.e. by Rs 550 per ton approximately i.e. from March 1, 2015 to March 26, 2015.
The industry body in its letter has noted that India’s leading iron ore producer, National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) is charging 25 per cent higher as compared to other iron ore miners based in Odisha which is adversely impacting domestic steel industry and while NMDC has reduced prices of iron ore lump and fines (from January 2015) which are in line with those prevailing both in Odisha and international market, still the state-run miner is charging much higher prices for iron ore fines. It further stated that suppliers from Odisha are offering 63 per cent Fe iron ore fines at the rate of Rs 2,150 per ton in comparison to Rs 2,340 (together with Rs 351 for royalty) charged by NMDC which is higher by about Rs 500-600 per ton.
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