Nepal: Billet Imports from India Rise Significantly

Nepal, the largest buyer of Indian Billets witnessed 3rd consecutive rise in its monthly billet imports from India and reported the highest volume of imports of 2018 during March’18.

As per customs data maintained by SteelMint, Nepal imported 95,263 MT Billets in March’18 (15th Feb to 14th Mar), which was recorded at 72,088 MT in Feb 2018 (15th Jan to 14th Feb) & about 79,540 MT in March’17 (15th Feb to 14th Mar). Thus, imports have climbed to 32% on monthly comparison & about 20% on yearly premises.

Increasing rolling capacities in Nepal which is one of the major reason behind significant rise in Billet imports. The steel makers in Nepal are ramping up their rolling facilities rather than backward up-gradation due to low availability of domestic power supply.

However, the country’s Sponge iron import from India fell slightly to 13,320 MT in Mar 2018 (15th Feb to 14th Mar) as compared with 14,100 MT in Feb 2018 (15th Jan to 14th Feb) & 10,058 MT in Mar 2017 (15th Feb to 14th Mar).

Finished Steel Imports

Nepal is also actively involved in Finished steel imports due to healthy demand in the nation than the domestic productions.

The country’s long steel imports registered at 33,414 MT in Mar 2018 (15th Feb to 14th Mar), increased by 6% M-o-M as against 31,522 MT in Feb 2018 (15th Jan to 14th Feb).

Further, the nation has imported about 57,792 MT Flat steel in the month of Mar 2018 (15th Feb to 14th Mar) which was in Feb 2018 (15th Jan to 14th Feb) recorded at 60,008 MT.

Nepal Imports for Semis & Finished Steel Products

Qty in MT
Source: Nepal Custom, SteelMint Stats