India’s Booming PVC Demand Clashes with Toxic Import Surge and Regulatory Gaps

Key Highlights

• High Demand, Low Supply: India’s PVC demand is rising sharply (14.2% CAGR), particularly in piping and irrigation, outpacing local production capacity.
• Imported Pricing Range: Imported PVC prices in Mundra range from ₹64,500 to ₹70,500/MT across grades and brands.
• Toxic Imports Alert: Experts flag carcinogenic RVCM content in some Chinese PVC imports, breaching global safety norms.
• QCO Enforcement Gaps: Regulatory delays in BIS/QCO implementation erode trust, creating an uneven field for compliant Indian producers.

India Imported PVC Market Price

• In Mundra, the current PVC market offers a range of ready materials with varying prices. XINFA PVC K67 (SG5) is available at ₹64,500 per metric ton, while SHINETSU PVC K57 (TK700) is priced higher at ₹70,500 per metric ton. 
• HYGAIN PVC K67 (HS1000R) is listed at ₹67,000 per metric ton, and LG PVC K67 COMPOUNDED (LS100H) is being sold at ₹69,000 per metric ton. ASNYL PVC K57 (FJ57) is priced at ₹69,500 per metric ton. CGPC PVC K67 (H66) is available for ₹69,000 per metric ton. Meanwhile, DAGU offers two variants: PVC K57 (DG700) at ₹68,750 per metric ton and K67 (DG1000K) at ₹68,000 per metric ton. 
• Lastly, HANWA PVC K67 COMPOUNDED (P1000SB) is also listed at ₹69,000 per metric ton.

Demand Growth Driven by Infra & Agri Sectors

• As per TheHindu.com, India’s infrastructure and agriculture sectors are witnessing robust expansion, fueling increased demand for Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), particularly in pipe manufacturing and irrigation-related applications. 
• The domestic PVC pipe market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.2%, projected to reach $1.24 billion by 2033. However, the local production capacity struggles to keep pace with this demand, forcing India to rely heavily on imports, predominantly from China, the world’s leading PVC exporter.
• This supply-demand mismatch has created room for significant inflow of low-cost, carbide-based PVC products from Chinese manufacturers. 
• These imports, sold at artificially suppressed prices, pose serious concerns for both the domestic industry and consumer safety.
• While Indian manufacturers comply with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) regulations, imported PVC products often bypass these norms, thereby damaging the competitive landscape for compliant producers.

Market News: Health & Environmental Risks from Substandard PVC

• Industry experts warn that these Chinese PVC imports contain Residual Vinyl Chloride Monomer (RVCM), a known carcinogen, at levels as high as 10 ppm—well above permissible limits.
• These toxic imports risk not only public health but also environmental integrity, as exposure to sunlight or physical wear causes such PVC to degrade into microplastics, contaminating water bodies and agricultural land.
• A significant factor contributing to this issue is the inconsistent enforcement of India's Quality Control Orders (QCOs). 
• Authorities frequently delay or retroactively extend QCO deadlines, often in response to lobbying pressure from importers. 
• According to Anupam Kaul, former Director at the National Institute of Training for Standardization, such regulatory unpredictability disrupts supply chains, discourages compliance investments, and undermines India’s policy credibility on the global stage. 
• Domestic manufacturers, who invest heavily in securing BIS certification, face an uneven playing field while also grappling with policy uncertainty.

Expert Opinion on Future Market Direction & Compliance

With India’s PVC demand projected to rise steadily, the government is expected to tighten quality enforcement eventually. If stricter QCO compliance is implemented consistently, domestic producers may regain a level playing field. Until then, the market remains vulnerable to cheap, substandard imports, pressuring compliant manufacturers and raising long-term environmental and health risks.