In Orange City on an brief official visit, Panda said he expected the demand for steel to continue to rise even after 2005, but the volatility in prices and the high-band level being reached now, will not be sustainable.
Panda said, overseas markets like China would continue to be an export destination for India owing to the high infrastructure growth being envisaged in that country.
As regards small steel companies which have suddenly seen a huge surge in market capitalisation, Panda said, this may not last for more than a year.