Govt orders probe into digital plate imports

The government has initiated a probe into alleged dumping of digital plates, used in the printing industry, from Japan and China to protect domestic players from cheap imports.

Acting on an application of domestic producers on the alleged dumping of 'Digital Offset Printing Plates' from Japan and China, the Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) has initiated the probe.

The DGAD, an arm of Commerce Ministry, said that sufficient evidences of dumping of the product from these countries are present to justify initiation of an anti-dumping investigation.

"The authority hereby initiates an investigation into the alleged dumping and consequent injury to the domestic industry ... To determine the existence, degree and effect of any alleged dumping and to recommend the amount of anti-dumping duty, which if levied would be adequate to remove injury to the domestic industry," it said.

The period of investigation is April 2010 to March 2011 (12 months), it said, adding it would also cover the periods 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11.

India has already slapped anti-dumping duty on several items such as yarn, fabrics, some of the stainless steel products and chemicals imported from China.

Anti-dumping duty is recommended by the Commerce Ministry, while the Finance Ministry imposes the same.

Unlike safeguard duties, which are levied in a uniform way, anti-dumping duties vary from product to product and from country to country.

Countries initiate anti-dumping probes to check if domestic industry has been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports. As a counter measure, they impose duties under the multilateral WTO regime.