India: Brass honey scrap prices strengthen w-o-w amid tight import availability

• Firm overseas offers, tight scrap availability lift brass honey prices
  
  
• Chinese demand improves, Indian buyers focus on need-based deals
  
  

Brass honey scrap prices in Jamnagar, Gujarat, increased w-o-w on 15 May 2026, tracking firm global copper prices and higher overseas scrap offers. Market activity remained measured, with buyers largely focusing on immediate procurement requirements amid elevated price levels.

According to BigMint's assessment, brass honey scrap in Jamnagar rose by 2% w-o-w to INR 805,000/t from INR 790,000/t last week. Trade activity remained selective, while higher replacement costs continued supporting market offers across key trading hubs.

Market scenario

The brass honey scrap market in India remained firm w-o-w, supported by persistent material shortages, elevated overseas offers and improving export demand from China for Indian finished brass products. However, despite stronger quoted prices, actual trade activity remained limited as buyers resisted bookings at aggressively elevated levels and continued procuring material largely on a need-based basis.

Imported brass honey scrap availability remained tight from Europe, the US and the Middle East. Suppliers maintained firm offers amid higher global copper prices and rising replacement costs, while traders indicated that clean honey grades remained scarce for immediate shipment due to constrained overseas collection volumes.

On the export front, Indian brass processors, particularly in Jamnagar, received improved enquiries from China for brass rods, sanitary fittings, valves and electrical components, as some Chinese manufacturers faced tighter scrap availability and elevated local processing costs. At the same time, stronger Chinese demand for non-ferrous scrap globally increased competition for available cargoes, with overseas suppliers preferring regions offering better realizations.

However, despite the firm pricing sentiment, deal closures remained limited as downstream consumers resisted higher finished product prices. The gap between seller expectations and workable buyer levels remained wide, resulting in slower transaction activity during the week.

Operational challenges also persisted across several brass processing units in Jamnagar, where multiple small and medium-scale plants continued operating at lower capacity utilisation due to irregular industrial gas and LPG availability. Higher energy costs and supply disruptions also impacted furnace operations and restricted production levels across some clusters.

Overall, the market remained supported by tight scrap availability, stronger Chinese demand and elevated global copper prices. However, cautious buying activity and lower operating rates across manufacturing units continued limiting aggressive market momentum.

Outlook

BigMint expects the Jamnagar brass honey scrap market to remain firm in the near term, supported by tight imported scrap availability, elevated overseas offers and firm global copper prices. Demand is likely to remain largely need-based, while cautious buying activity may continue limiting aggressive bulk bookings.

At the same time, stronger export enquiries from China for Indian finished brass products are expected to support raw material demand and keep market sentiment firm. However, operational constraints, higher energy costs and slower deal closures may continue restricting stronger market momentum.