CHENNAI: In the wake of 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 small players who are into the business of packaging of fruits and other processed food are not able to meet the demand of tin cans and containers. This is the season to process and package mango pulp however there is shortage of cans and easy open ends which is affecting the packing of mango pulp particularly for exports, said a Maharashtra based company engaged in Mango pulp packaging business.
The Maharashtra mango (Alphonso) pulp has a great demand worldwide. However the shortage of tin can has impacted the supply and the packaging both.
Another company which is into packaging of processed cheese has complained that there is suddenly a surge in price of steel and tin containers and availability is also an issue. Most of the companies who are manufacturing tin containers are small companies and could not meet the demand as we heard there is a shortage of raw material used in manufacture of cans. Not only the packed food industry but the other sectors which are the end users of the tinplate/tin free steel containers have also complained that they are not getting the required quantity of containers and whatever is available is expensive.
On July 17, 2020 the Government of India imposed a BIS standard for the import of tinplate/Tin free steel/ products like easy open ends, peel off ends etc. The implementation of the same has now been extended up to July 17, 2021.
A few exporters of tinplate from other countries have applied to BIS for getting the registration and approval of their plant but due to Covid conditions all such applications have been put on hold by BIS. This has resulted in virtual zero import of these essential materials thereby resulting in shortage of tinplate containers. Most of the suppliers from Japan, Korea have already indicated that no one wishes to travel to India for the BIS and BIS staff can’t move out of the country to go and inspect the plants of tinplate producers in those countries
According to the representation given by Metal Can Manufacturers Association, an industry body looking after the interest of can making (metal packaging industry ), to the Ministry of Steel , the country has a huge demand supply mismatch the domestic product is limited to 4 -4.5 lakh metric tons as against the total demand of 7 lakh metric tons. 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.
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. Although three leading international suppliers of tinplate/tin free steel have applied for the BIS however it’s been more than 4 months that there is no action on their BIS application., disclosed Sanjay Bhatia, president MCMA.
The industry which is the primary source of packaging for processed food, pesticides, paint and other allied industries and provide the employment to more than 100,000 people is stuck as neither the suppliers are ready to ship material to India without BIS certification nor there is enough domestic availability of tinplate/ tin free steel/products, said the MCMA statement.
