Dow Jones citing senior industry official reported that Indian zinc consumption is likely to grow by 8% to 10% in 2009 from 500,000 tonnes last year, as the country's spending on infrastructure will rise despite a global slowdown. Mr L Pugazhenthy ED of the India Zinc Lead Development Association said that "India's per capita consumption is very low at 0.4 kilograms as compared with the world average of 1.8 kilograms. With many telecom, housing and other infrastructure projects coming up, this is bound to rise.” Mr Pugazhenthy said unlike the west, India's zinc industry is protected from the global economic downturn as the bulk of sales is local. He said that "Infrastructure is increasing, money is flowing in India, and all the conditions are ideal for demand.” Worldwide, companies are cutting production, but India's largest zinc producer Hindustan Zinc Ltd, is planning to ramp up the combined zinc and lead production capacity to 1 million tonnes by 2010 from its current capacity of 670,000 tonnes.
×
