The commerce ministry has allowed imports of non-standard steel products through Nhava Sheva, Mumbai and ICD-Tughlakabad in the national capital.Earlier, import of these non-prime products called as seconds or defectives were not permitted through these ports.
“Imports of seconds/defectives of steel items…shall be allowed also through Nhava Sheva and at ICD-Tughlakabad, New Delhi, besides the existing customs sea port at Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata,” the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification.
The DGFT under the commerce ministry deals with export and import related matters.
The terminologies like ‘Non-Prime’ or ‘Seconds & Defective’ or ‘Second Grade’ are commonly used in steel trade and industry.
Though, generally speaking, these cover products which are not prime, means, not tested as per the relevant standards specification, there is no laid down criteria or definition for classifying a given products on the basis of their actual characteristics, according to the information provided on the website of the steel ministry.
The steel ministry has laid out certain guidelines and criteria for identification of the non-prime (second & defective) steel products based on their characteristics.