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India's gold imports seen falling as record cost triggers jewellery swaps

India's gold imports in 2024 might fall by almost a 5th from the previous year, as record high rates stimulate retail customers to exchange old jewellery for brand-new products, the head of an industry body told .

Lower imports by India, the world's 2nd biggest customer of the precious metal, could cap a rally that brought international costs to a record this week.

Price is badly impacted by the fast rate increase, said Prithviraj Kothari, president of the India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA). Retail buyers choose exchanging old jewellery for brand-new.

Buyers save cash as they only pay the jewellery making charges and tax when exchanging old accessories for new ones, considering that they do not have to pay for the gold.

Preparing for his child's wedding, Vinayak Patil exchanged 50 grams of old jewellery for new accessories this month as costs put new jewellery out of reach financially.

After adding making charges and taxes, I needed 475,000 rupees to buy 50 grams of new gold jewellery, which I could not. afford, he explained, describing the equivalent of $5,700.

So, I chose to exchange old jewellery and pay just the. making charges and taxes, which totaled up to around 90,000. rupees, Patil stated.

Old jewellery, also known as scrap materials, is recycled,. and utilized for jewellery making.

In the March quarter, scrap supplies jumped 10% from a year. earlier to 38.3 heaps, data from the World Gold Council revealed.

Lower demand due to record costs and higher materials of. scrap will cut imports by 20% from a year earlier, stated IBJA's. Kothari.

India imported 744 metric lots of gold in 2023.

Domestic gold costs struck a record of 74,442 rupees. for 10 grams this week, and have actually jumped 17% up until now in 2024,. after an increase of 15% in 2023.

Increasing gold rates are having a greater impact on jewellery. demand compared to financial investment need, stated Amit Modak, chief. executive of PN Gadgil and Sons, a jeweller based in the western. city of Pune.

The share of exchanges in jewellery purchases has increased to. 60% from about 40% last year, Modak stated.

Jewellery demand represent three-quarters of the overall. need, while investment need comprises the rest.

Investment need was strong previously this year, and now. record rates are prompting some financiers to liquidate. holdings and book earnings, said Ashok Jain, owner of. Mumbai-based gold wholesaler Chenaji Narsinghji.

(source: Reuters)