Imports of low ash Met Coke under Safeguard duty probe scanner

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has initiated a Safeguard duty (Quantitative Restrictions) investigation concerning imports of low ash metallurgical coke (Met Coke) into India. This probe has been triggered after complaints from BLA Private Limited, Jindal Coke Limited, Saurashtra Fuels Private Limited, Vedanta Malco Energy Limited, and Visa Coke Limited. According to a DGTR notice, the applicants have alleged that there has been a ‘sudden, sharp, significant, and recent’ increase in volume of low ash metallurgical coke imports in India.

This has started causing serious injury to domestic industry and is posing a threat of further aggravated injury. The applicants have sought imposition of the duty for one year. Met coke is used as a primary fuel in furnaces of steel, chemical, Ferro alloy, and pig iron plants.

DGTR will be investigating imports of the commodity from April 2022 to March 2023. According to the complaints, there has been a 40% increase in imports during April to December 2022, which has risen by 10.03 lakh metric ton compared to 2020-21 levels. “The market share of imports relative to total demand has also increased from 42% in 2021-22 to 52% of total demand in April 2022-December 2022, on annualised basis,” These imports higher due to unforeseen factors such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The applicants have alleged that coal prices rose globally due to sanctions imposed by various countries on imports from Russia. But China benefited from this development due to its proximity to Russia by gaining the freight advantages. Further, while there was an increase in freight rates post COVID-19 related lockdowns globally, the Met Coke producers in Australia, China, and Indonesia did not face a rise