Due to limited availability of coking coal in the country, coking coal is imported mostly to meet the requirement of steel Industry. Coking coal being an important cost component of steel manufacturing, the recent increase in international price of coking coal has impacted the cost structure of steel production. The details of imported coking coal during last three years are given below:-
|
Year
|
Import of coking coal (MT)
|
|
2019-20
|
51.83
|
|
2020-21
|
51.19
|
|
2021-22
|
57.16
|
An MoU was signed on 14/10/2021 between the Ministry of Steel, Government of India and the Ministry of Energy, Russian Federation, on cooperation in coking coal used in steel making.
With a view to diversify the new geographical locations, SAIL signed an Agreement on 24/08/2022 with Russian Miner for supply of industry trial shipment of coking coal. At present, SAIL is procuring imported Metallurgical Coal under long term agreements from Australia, United States of America (USA), Indonesia and Mozambique. Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) has also Long Term Agreements with various global suppliers from countries such as Australia, Canada, USA, Indonesia and Mozambique.
Use of domestic non-coking coal in a steel plant is limited to coal based DR plant technology.
This information was given by the Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Pralhad Joshi in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
****
AKN/ RKP