Non-ferrous metal emerges with export potential
Friday, 29 January 2010
Jasim Uddin Haroon
In a surprise move, local traders have started exporting of non-ferrous metals to European markets, neighbouring India and Japan as these items have huge demands there.
The term non-ferrous is used to indicate metals other than iron.
Bangladesh has no under-ground reserves of ferrous and non-ferrous metals like copper, brass, aluminium, bronze, and lead. Local traders are procuring those from the country's ship breaking yards.
The traders also procure other non-ferrous metals like gun-metals and white metals, which are very expensive items procured from ship breaking yards.
Md Kamal Uddin, an exporter of these metals, told the FE: "We're exporting the item to different European countries and neighbouring country India."
Exporters said that the importing nations make valuable engineering products, especially for shipbuilding plants, by recycling the metals.
Sources claimed local traders are exporting around 100 containers of non-ferrous metals each month weighing around 2000 tonnes.
The prices for the non-iron metals range between US$ 1000-$5000 each tonne depending on quality and sizes.
Ship breakers said that each ship contains minimum 1.0 per cent non-ferrous metals.
But specialised ships contain more than 3.0 per cent such metals.
Captain Anam, a senior consultant of the ship breakers, told the FE: "Around 40,000-50,000 tonnes non-ferrous metals come out from the ship breaking fields each year."
Mr Anam said: "Most of these items are being exported and a tiny quantity is used locally to produce different household items."
Shaheen, another exporter of the metals, alleged that a large quantity of such metals are smuggled out into India as the country has a huge demand for household utensils made of copper and brass.
Kamal Uddin said this has diversified the country's export basket saying: "The government should take necessary steps to stop its smuggling."
In a surprise move, local traders have started exporting of non-ferrous metals to European markets, neighbouring India and Japan as these items have huge demands there.
The term non-ferrous is used to indicate metals other than iron.
Bangladesh has no under-ground reserves of ferrous and non-ferrous metals like copper, brass, aluminium, bronze, and lead. Local traders are procuring those from the country's ship breaking yards.
The traders also procure other non-ferrous metals like gun-metals and white metals, which are very expensive items procured from ship breaking yards.
Md Kamal Uddin, an exporter of these metals, told the FE: "We're exporting the item to different European countries and neighbouring country India."
Exporters said that the importing nations make valuable engineering products, especially for shipbuilding plants, by recycling the metals.
Sources claimed local traders are exporting around 100 containers of non-ferrous metals each month weighing around 2000 tonnes.
The prices for the non-iron metals range between US$ 1000-$5000 each tonne depending on quality and sizes.
Ship breakers said that each ship contains minimum 1.0 per cent non-ferrous metals.
But specialised ships contain more than 3.0 per cent such metals.
Captain Anam, a senior consultant of the ship breakers, told the FE: "Around 40,000-50,000 tonnes non-ferrous metals come out from the ship breaking fields each year."
Mr Anam said: "Most of these items are being exported and a tiny quantity is used locally to produce different household items."
Shaheen, another exporter of the metals, alleged that a large quantity of such metals are smuggled out into India as the country has a huge demand for household utensils made of copper and brass.
Kamal Uddin said this has diversified the country's export basket saying: "The government should take necessary steps to stop its smuggling."