In the world of export-import, each shipment counts. And you cannot afford to make any “uninformed investment”. So, if you have any doubt or a question, ask us. Our team of experts at The Dollar Business Intelligence Unit will be happy to answer your queries. Your question(s), if approved, will also be published on www.thedollarbusiness.com, and/or in the forthcoming issue of The Dollar Business

Do Indian trading firms require pollution certificate to import iron and steel scrap? Also, what’s the procedure to obtain the certificate? (Rahul Bansal, Partner, K. K. Industries, +91-9313361XXX, [email protected])

Dear Rahul: We assume you want to import iron and steel scrap falling under one of the following ITC HS Codes: 72041000, 72042190, 72042920, 72042990, 72043000, 72044100, 72044900 and 72045000. Import under said HS Codes shall be permitted freely through all ports of India subject to following conditions: (a) At the time of the clearance of goods, importer shall furnish to the Customs pre-shipment inspection certificate as per the format to Appendix 2H from any of the inspection & certification agencies given in Appendix-2G, to the effect that the consignment was checked for radiation level and scrap does not contain radiation level (gamma and neutron) in excess of natural background. The certificate shall give the value of background radiation level at that place as also the maximum radiation level on the scrap; and (b) Importer shall also furnish copy of the contract with the exporter stipulating that the consignment does not contain any radioactive contaminated material in any form.

Now coming to your question, yes Indian trading firms do require pollution certificate to import iron and steel scrap. Every trader who desires to import metal scrap, paper waste and other wastes as listed in Schedule-III (Part-D) of Hazardous Waste (MH&TM) Rules, 2008 (as amended till date), on behalf of actual users, is required to make an application in Form-16, to State Pollution Control Boards(s) [of the state(s) to which he/she wants to import the scrap], for their registration on one time basis, under the said rule.

Since no site verification is required for registration of trading units desirous to import scrap and waste, the application for registration along with required documents can be submitted at the head office of the respective State Pollution Control Boards(s). The following documents need to be enclosed with the application form: (1) A photocopy of valid trade licence of godown address issued by the local authority; (2) A photocopy of the certificate of the Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) issued by the DGFT; and (3) An undertaking in Stamp Paper stating that all imports will be undertaken on behalf of actual users having valid Consent to Operate of the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and also that quarterly returns on import of hazardous wastes will be submitted to the SPCB.

Response by: Steven Philip Warner President (VMPL) & Editor-in-Chief, The Dollar Business

What is India’s current import of chickpeas from Australia? (Shaheer, Trader, Pakistan, [email protected], +92-3344192337) 

Dear Shaheer: We assume you are talking about import of dried chickpeas or garbanzo beans falling under ITC HS Code: 07132000. Interestingly, Australia is the biggest source of imported dried chickpeas or garbanzo beans for India. In FY2016, Australia accounted for about 76% (valued at $511.70 million) of India’s total import of the product (valued at $672.43 million). For FY2017 (till December 31, 2016), India had already imported dried chickpeas worth $230.93 million from Australia and is expected to touch the $400 million mark by the end of this fiscal. In case our assumptions about intended import product isn’t exact, please write to us.

Response by: Manish K. Pandey Editor,The Dollar Business

My company specialises in making wedding cards, handmade paper bags and rigid boxes. Going forward, I would like to expand the business and reach out to prospective customers in US, UK and other countries, where the demand for India-made wedding cards and accessories is high. Can you suggest how to get business from these countries? (Amit Biyani, Managing Director, Utsav Cards, +91 9849026XXX, [email protected])

Dear Amit: You can approach your concerned association – Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) – for assistance or directly reach out to potential buyers by posting your product information on https://in.thedollarbusiness.com/marketplace. From discovering the best markets to source from or supply to, to identifying the right logistics partners, International Marketplace understands all your requirements and accordingly connects you with the right market and partners so that you can make a fortune out of foreign trade. Participation across well-known B2B trade fairs across these countries is another solution – you may be able to track wholesale buyers who may be interested in buying your products.

Additionally, you can also explore The Dollar Business CONNECT Programme (You can read more on the programme on https://in.thedollarbusiness.com/memberships) that provides an in-the-making super successful exporter like you, some unique and amazing extras – a customisable ‘premium’ webpage on TDB International Marketplace, 100 Guaranteed Leads, a fast and effective Lead Accelerator process – that will ensure you touch newer highs in global trade.

Response by: Indranil Das, Executive Editor, The Dollar Business

I would like to export red chillies. How do I start? (Saikiran, Venkata Sai Nath, +91-8465022XXX, [email protected])

Dear Saikiran: We are happy to hear of your decision to head into the world of foreign trade. Well, to start an export-import business, you first need to obtain an Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) from the DGFT. An IEC is a 10-digit number allotted to a person that is mandatory for undertaking any export/import activities. Application for obtaining IEC can be filed online on the DGFT website. DGFT only accepts online applications for IEC issuance or modification and requires only three documents: (i) PAN; (ii) Cancelled cheque bearing entity’s pre-printed name or Bank Certificate; and (iii) Digital Photograph (3X3 cm). All you need to ensure is that details filled in the application should match with details in the uploaded documents. Having said that, an online application for IEC however, can only be made using Digital Signature Certificate (DSC; Class II type). You can type the following URL in your browser – www.thedollarbusiness.com/memberships and subscribe to TDB GROW Programme. From applying for your IEC, Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) and assisting you with advanced, actionable, and useful analytics derived from impeccable and priceless research on exports/imports of the product of your choice from The Dollar Business Intelligence Unit, a dedicated team at The Dollar Business will do the hard work for you.

Additionally, since you desire to venture into the world of foreign trade, we would also suggest you to take The Dollar Business Export Potential Test to evaluate how ready you are to take the plunge into a world of business that’s wide and exciting! You can find the test on https://in.thedollarbusiness.com. Of course, the test is completely free! In case you have further queries, do write back to us.

Response by: Dr. A. K. Sengupta, Chief Consulting Editor, The Dollar Business