Even as the ferro alloys industries in the country are demanding a hike in the import duty of ferro alloys, the Union mines director, RN Dash, said there is no such proposal at present.
The Ferro Alloys Producers Association has been demanding that the import duty on ferro alloys be enhanced to 7.5% from the present 5% to encourage domestic industries.
The ferro alloys industries in the country, which has built about 3.6 million tonne per annum (MTPA) capacity, are now producing only 2.4 MTPA utilising only 70% of their capacity.
Dash, who was here to address a national seminar on ferro alloys industries, said his ministry has initiated the process of delisting silica manganese from the restricted category for the benefit of the ferro alloys industries in the country. He said the government has imposed export duty on chrome ore to encourage value addition in the country.
The Union mines director told the seminar that the standalone ferro alloys industries in the country would either merge with larger steel plants or may go for forward integration. Most of them are not able to sell their products to steel plants of the Jindals, Bhusan, Tatas, who are going for ferro alloys production as part of their integrated projects.