After a government''s order last year that mandated BIS standard for tinplate and tin free steel products import, a few exporters from other countries have applied for registration and approval of their plant, but due to COVID-19 conditions all such applications have been put on hold by Bureau of Indian Standards, it added.
The implementation of the order has now been extended up to July 17, 2021.
"This has resulted in virtual zero import of these essential materials, thereby resulting in a shortage of tinplate containers.
"Most of the suppliers from Japan, Korea have already raised their hands to get into the BIS compliance at this moment as no one wishes to travel to India for the BIS vice versa BIS staff can''t move out of the country to go and inspect the plants of tinplate producers in those countries," Metal Can Manufacturers Association (MCMA) said in a statement.
India has a huge demand-supply mismatch as the domestic production is limited to 4-4.5 lakh metric tonnes as against the total demand of 7 lakh metric tonnes, it added.
"On an average 2.5 lakh tonnes demand is met by imports from Japan, Korea, China and other countries who are the bulk producers of tinplate/tin-free steel/ products like easy-open ends/peel-off ends etc," it added.
In the wake of an acute shortage of tinplate/tin-free steel material, which is largely used to manufacture cans and containers to pack processed food and fruits, the processed food packaging industry is feeling a pinch, the association said.
The industry is ready to abide by the BIS standard and ready to adopt, however, at this moment it is not feasible for the global suppliers and even the government to speed up the BIS process, MCMA President Sanjay Bhatia said.
Three leading international suppliers of tinplate/tin-free steel have applied for the BIS. However, it''s been more than four months that there is no action on their BIS application, he added.
