Nalco targets 30% rise in exports this fiscal

While China and Russia continue to be major markets with lucrative margins, Japan and Taiwan have also increased their intake of aluminium.

C Venkataramana, chairman and managing director, Nalco, said: "After our capacity expansion, although exports of alumina will see a slight increase, aluminium metal will be exported in larger quantities, especially to China and Russia."

Nalco recently expanded its smelter capacity, which has raised production to 3.45 lakh tonne from 2.4 lakh tonne. Most of the additional production will be exported.

In the first six months till September this year, Nalco has already achieved around Rs 1,000 crore exports, Venkataramana said.

The rise in total exports by Nalco will constitute an increase in the export of aluminium metal at 1.4 lakh tonne, up 30.8 per cent, from 1.07 lakh tonne in the year 2002-03.