Lok Sabha Question No. 178 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-11-30
Subject: Copper Import
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.178 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 30 TH  NOVEMBER, 2015 COPPER IMPORT

## 178. SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state :

- (a) the quantum of copper wire imported from ASEAN countries during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (b) the  quantum of copper export along with the foreign exchange earned therefrom during the said period, country-wise;
- (c) whether the copper import is more than export of copper products and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether major copper companies have cautioned the Government that the sector is facing an imminent shutdown in the face of a surge in cheaper copper imports from Japan and ASEAN countries; and
- (e) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  corrective  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINES AND STEEL (SHRI VISHNU DEO SAI)

- (a) The  quantum  of  copper  wire  imported  from  ASEAN  countries  during  each  of  the  last  three years and current year is given below:
- (b) There is no export of copper concentrate in the current year. However, the quantum of export of  refined  copper  and  foreign  exchange  earned  therefrom  during  the  last  three  years  and current year is given below:

| Item             | 2012-13   | 2013-14   | 2014-15   | 2015-16 April-Aug'15   |
|------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------------------|
| Copper wire (MT) | 6,646     | 12,160    | 16,405    | 16,796                 |

| Item                   | 2012-13   | 2013-14   | 2014-15   | 2015-16 April-Aug'15   |
|------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------------------|
| Quantity (MT)          | 2,65,399  | 2,57,808  | 3,74,847  | 1,50,413               |
| Amount ( Million US $) | 2,298     | 2,100     | 2,486     | 912                    |

The country-wise details are given at Annexure-I and Annexure-II.

- (c) No Madam, with regards to refined copper, import is not more than export.
- (d)&(e) Indian Primary Copper Producers Association has informed the Ministry that there is  surge in import of refined copper from ASEAN and Japan under the Fee Trade Agreements (FTA).  The Association has therefore requested that the import duty on finished copper be enhanced.  The Ministry has examined the matter, and as of now, there is not enough ground for intervention. However, the Ministry  is keeping a close watch on the matter.

**********

The country-wise details regarding refined copper export in quantity terms is given below: (Qty. in MT)

|                 | 2012-13    | 2013-14    | 2014-15    | 2015-16 (April-Aug)   |
|-----------------|------------|------------|------------|-----------------------|
| BANGLADESH PR   | 34.00      |            | 591.66     | 211.09                |
| TAIWAN          |            | 2,705.00   | 1,697.50   | 4,742.00              |
| CHINA P RP      | 232,253.15 | 221,117.47 | 282,547.02 | 69.942.62             |
| COLOMBIA        | 660.00     | 1,535.00   | 2,367.00   | 0.00                  |
| CONGO D. REP.   |            | 50.00      |            |                       |
| EGYPT A RP      | 730.00     | 3,355.79   | 998.00     |                       |
| JAPAN           | 100.00     | 801.20     | 3.60       |                       |
| KENYA           | 10.85      | 79.00      | 56.06      | 6.52                  |
| KOREA RP        |            | 299.43     |            | 300.00                |
| MALAYSIA        | 27,203.00  | 6,621.00   | 31,201.00  | 35,557.16             |
| MEXICO          | 120.00     | 14,543.00  | 20,756.00  | 150.00                |
| NEPAL           | 172.95     | 471.84     | 1,298.51   | 823.74                |
| NETHERLAND      | 25.56      |            |            |                       |
| NEWZEALAND      |            |            | 1,173.26   | 2,294.28              |
| OMAN            | 30.71      | 2.04       |            | 2,347.00              |
| PAKISTAN IR     | 4.76       |            |            |                       |
| SRI LANKA DSR   | 1,773.50   | 650.06     | 974.03     | 399.24                |
| SAUDI ARAB      |            |            | 1,999.00   | 996.00                |
| SINGAPORE       |            |            | 6,998.00   | 15,463.99             |
| THAILAND        | 0.55       |            | 350.00     | 2,798.00              |
| U ARAB EMTS     | 266.91     | 857.72     | 16,054.00  | 9,391.00              |
| U S A           |            |            | 10.16      | 6.92                  |
| VIETNAM SOC REP | 1,809.00   | 4,043.91   | 5,447.00   | 1,407.20              |
| OTHERS          | 204        | 676        | 325        | 3576                  |
| Total           | 2,65,399   | 2,57,808   | 3,74,847   | 1,50,413              |

## Annexure-II

The country-wise details regarding foreign exchange earned is given below:

(Value in US$ million)

|                 | 2012-13   | 2013-14   | 2014-15   |   2015-16 (April-Aug) |
|-----------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------|
| BANGLADESH PR   | 0.27      | 0.00      | 4.09      |                  1.24 |
| TAIWAN          | nil       | 23.19     | 10.48     |                 28.29 |
| CHINA P RP      | 2,000.50  | 1,819.68  | 1,876.00  |                415.36 |
| COLOMBIA        | 5.73      | 14.63     | 29.15     |                  4.76 |
| CONGO D. REP.   | 0.00      | 1.32      | 0.00      |                  0    |
| EGYPT A RP      | 8.14      | 26.96     | 6.67      |                  0    |
| JAPAN           | 0.76      | 5.70      | 0.02      |                  0    |
| KENYA           | nil       | nil       | 0.00      |                  0    |
| KOREA RP        | 0.00      | 2.14      | 0.00      |                  1.82 |
| MALAYSIA        | 243.79    | 52.08     | 195.31    |                211.68 |
| MEXICO          | 2.38      | 102.23    | 139.63    |                  0.88 |
| NEPAL           | 1.82      | 3.23      | 8.87      |                  4.95 |
| NETHERLAND      | 0.20      | 0.00      | 0.00      |                  0    |
| NEWZEALAND      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 7.43      |                 13.7  |
| OMAN            | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.05      |                 14.48 |
| PAKISTAN IR     | 0.04      | 0.00      | 0.00      |                  0    |
| SRI LANKA DSR   | 14.22     | 4.7       | 6.68      |                  2.42 |
| SAUDI ARAB      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 12.58     |                  6.24 |
| SINGAPORE       | 0.00      | 0.00      | 41.14     |                 89.55 |
| THAILAND        | 0.00      | 0.00      | 2.26      |                 16.83 |
| U ARAB EMTS     | 0.00      | 5.52      | 105.70    |                 52.31 |
| U S A           | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.15      |                  0.09 |
| VIETNAM SOC REP | 15.47     | 35.39     | 36.24     |                  8.23 |
| OTHERS          | 4.68      | 3.6       | 3.6       |                 39.53 |
| Total           | 2298      | 2100      | 2486      |                912    |