In order to support the high level of steel production and ore stockholding as insurance against supply disruptions, Chinese imports of iron ore till November were up 10.9% over the corresponding period the year before.By Kunal Bose
First, it was the Indian Steel Association (ISA), representing the interest of all major producers of the alloy, that drew the government’s attention to the “testing times” steel-makers—particularly those without ownership of mines—were facing because of the double whammy of a spurt in iron-ore exports and a fall in production, principally in the country’s largest and finest quality ore producing state, Odisha. (Incidentally, Tata Steel left ISA in May, allegedly over differences on contentious mining policy.) Soon, it became a chorus of protests against iron-ore exports with associations of sponge iron and steel-forgings manufacturers making common cause with ISA.
Facing rising displeasure of ministries concerned with infrastructure projects…
