India''s 2013 gold imports to fall to 550 tonnes-trade body

MUMBAI, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Gold imports to India, the world''sbiggest buyer of bullion, could fall to 550 tonnes next year,after touching 967 tonnes in 2011, as high inflation and pricesbite into disposable incomes of consumers, the head of a tradebody said on Tuesday. "The demand for next year is expected to be about 550tonnes. The demand may drop further if there is an increase incustoms duty," Mohit Kamboj, the newly elected president of theBombay Bullion Association, told Reuters Gold Forum. Imports are already down again in 2012 from a year earlier. However, the decline in gold imports in the December quartercould be limited to 20 percent as demand in the peak festivaland wedding season offsets a larger fall, he said. (Reuters)