Anti-dumping duty likely on a Chinese chemical

New Delhi: The government is likely to impose an anti-dumping duty of up to USD 620 per tonne for five years on a chemical imported from China and used in pharma and fertiliser industries.

Alkyl Amines Chemicals had asked for an anti-dumping probe on 'Monoisopropylamine ' and imposition of levy to discourage cheap imports.

The Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), the investigation arm of the commerce ministry, in its probe has concluded that the chemical has been exported to India from certain Chinese firms below its normal value, which has resulted in dumping.

The domestic industry has suffered material injury due to the dumping of the product, the DGAD has said in a notification. The duty recommended was in the range of USD 497.68 per tonne and USD 620 per tonne.

The finance ministry takes the final call to impose the levy. "The authority considers it necessary to recommend imposition of a definitive anti-dumping duty on the imports" of the chemical imported from the neighbouring country.

The imports increased to 4,373 tonnes during the period of investigation (July 2015-September 2016) from 4,011 tonnes in 2013-14.

Countries carry out an anti-dumping probe to determine whether their domestic industries have been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports. As a counter measure, they impose duties under the multilateral regime of WTO.

The duty is also aimed at ensuring fair trading practices and creating a level-playing field for domestic producers with regard to foreign producers and exporters.

India has already imposed anti-dumping duty on several products to check cheap imports from countries including China, with which India has a major concern of widening trade deficit.

The deficit with China stood at USD 36.73 billion during April-October this fiscal. The country has imposed the duty on as many as 98 products, as on December 27 last year, imported from China.