NEW DELHI– The government has not yet decided on fixing the minimum import price for steel, Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia said on Wednesday.
“No decision,” she told reporters here in response to a query on the matter on the sidelines of a Confederation of Indian Industry meeting on the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) recent Nairobi conference.
Earlier this month she said India’s steel imports were about 9 percent of what it consumed and not a huge element of the country’s total steel consumption.
Teaotia said the country had considerable installed capacity, which is operating at about 80 percent, resulting in higher load factors than the rest of the world, which averages about 68-70 percent.
India’s domestic steel industry has been repeatedly voicing its concern about cheap imports from China flooding local markets.
Earlier, the commerce secretary told the conference that her ministry is discussing with other ministries how to move ahead on the outcomes of the WTO’s Nairobi ministerial meeting.
“We met all ministries related to trade. We have made presentation to the agriculture ministry,” Teaotia said.
The Nairobi ministerial did not reaffirm the Doha Development Agenda, which was India’s main demand before going for the talks.
In this connection, Teaotia said on Wednesday that India will not go ahead with new issues till the time the WTO’s Doha Round issues are reaffirmed.
“Doha is still alive,” she said.
