Central India: Manufacturers limit outside bookings due to logistic constraints

Despite healthy inquiries from outside buyers (Western, Southern & Northern India), most of the billet & finished steel makers in Raipur & Raigarh (Central India) are holding fresh deals, due to logistic concerns, trade sources reported to SteelMint. It is also learned that the major transporters are packed with dispatches of earlier orders, hence they are taking fewer bookings for fresh orders to dispatch. Also, as the fuel prices gained significantly, logistics has now become the biggest concern especially if it is for long-distance markets. On average, freight charges have gone up by around INR 500-700/t recently.