Secondary metals producers fear inverted duty structure could hurt

Duty from finished metals imported from ASEAN is lower than metallic scrap

Secondary metals producers are worried that an inverted duty structure on raw materials and finished products will hit them hard and also affect around 2.5 million workers in the industry. 

Under a regional co-operation agreement signed by the members of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries, India has cut import duty on finished non-ferrous metals to zero. But, import duty on non-ferrous metallic scrap remains 2.5 per cent.

This inverted duty structure has resulted in a number of Indian secondary metal users switching to import of finished products from metallic scrap. Existing recycling units that have invested on