Imports of aluminium scrap into India fell by 23.75pc to 118,795mt in May from the prior year period. India witnessed lockdowns in May for both the year. In May 2021, however, the global situation of the COVID-19 pandemic was better, which kept LME aluminium elevated.
The three-month aluminium contract on LME rose from $2,315/mt on April 14 to $2,419/mt on May 20. Sellers from supplier countries had thus kept offers firm. The Davis Index for Taint/Tabor rose from $1,722/mt cfr India port on April 16 to $1,763/mt cfr on May 21.
In the first five months, however, imports increased by 22.69pc to 657,571mt from the prior-year period.
Top aluminium scrap exporters
| Exporters | May 2021 | April 2021 | Change M-o-M | May 2020 | Change Y-o-Y |
| United States | 31,489 | 23,173 | 36% | 49,642 | -37% |
| United Kingdom | 15,762 | 12,129 | 30% | 19,017 | -17% |
| Saudi Arabia | 10,290 | 15,620 | -34% | 8,051 | 28% |
| United Arab Emirates | 7,785 | 11,371 | -32% | 6,820 | 14% |
| Netherland | 7,140 | 7,306 | -2% | 6,572 | 9% |
| Australia | 4,496 | 4,498 | 0% | 11,192 | -60% |
| Singapore | 4,244 | 3,939 | 8% | 5,041 | -16% |
| Belgium | 4,175 | 5,123 | -19% | 3,528 | 18% |
| Kuwait | 3,368 | 1,464 | 130% | 1,210 | 178% |
| Others | 30,047 | 37,312 | -19% | 44,723 | -33% |
| Total | 118,795 | 121,935 | -3% | 155,796 | -24% |
Copper scrap
Copper scrap imports into India declined by 31pc from May 2020 to 18,674mt in May 2021. Like aluminium, LME copper also surged from mid-April supporting sellers to raise offers for copper scrap. The three-month LME copper contract rose to $10,171/mt on May 28 from $9002.5/mt on April 14. Buyers in India, thus backed out from the market as many regions faced stringent lockdown restrictions which slowed economic activities.
In Jan-May imports rose by 4.39pc to 100,837mt from the prior-year period.
Top copper scrap exporters
| Exporters | May 2021 | April 2021 | Change M-o-M | May 2020 | Change Y-o-Y |
| Germany | 2,308 | 3,084 | -25% | 4,271 | -46% |
| Saudi Arabia | 2,250 | 2,495 | -10% | 2,206 | 2% |
| United Kingdom | 2,074 | 1,507 | 38% | 2,860 | -27% |
| United Arab Emirates | 1,587 | 1,597 | -1% | 761 | 109% |
| United States | 1,573 | 1,099 | 43% | 5,931 | -73% |
| Kuwait | 1,398 | 2,110 | -34% | 123 | 1038% |
| Netherland | 1,386 | 1,271 | 9% | 988 | 40% |
| Belgium | 553 | 621 | -11% | 599 | -8% |
| Spain | 533 | 558 | -4% | 387 | 37% |
| Others | 5,012 | 6,247 | -20% | 8,979 | -44% |
| Total | 18,674 | 20,587 | -9% | 27,104 | -31% |