India’s steel imports from China in October this year have been provisionally estimated at 0.19 million mt, the highest monthly import figure in the April-October period of fiscal year 2023-2024, according to data sourced from the ministry of steel. Such high results are mainly attributed to the end of the monsoon season in India (July-September) coupled with lower prices for ex-China materials as compared to other foreign suppliers and local prices.
Meanwhile, total steel imported from China during the April-October period of fiscal year 2023-2024 has been provisionally estimated at 1.11 million mt, a rise of 50 percent over the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year and the highest in the last six years, the data showed.
According to sources, Chinese steel prices were the most competitive in the market during the April-October period and especially in October, while India became the second-largest buyer of ex-China hot rolled coil (HRC) following Vietnam. Notably, import prices for ex-China HRC were ranging at around $580-585/mt CFR during October, while local HRC prices were quoted at $683-707/mt ex-works, including 18 percent good and service tax, which resulted in numerous deals for ex-China HRC. Meanwhile, in November, ex-China HRC prices have been moving upwards amid rises in Chinese futures prices, reaching around $605/mt CFR India in late November, though, despite the increase, Chinese HRC has remained the most competitive. In comparison, in the last week of November, local HRC trade prices are at INR 58,000/mt ($696/mt) ex-Mumbai and at INR 58,650/mt ($704/mt) ex-Chennai in the south. ($1= INR 83.30)
At the same time, in April-October, steel imports from South Korea were estimated at 1.08 million mt, from Japan at 0.51 million mt and from Vietnam at 0.28 million mt.