Govt mulls anti-dumping duty on import of a Chinese chemical

India is likely to impose an anti- dumping duty of up to $213.34 per tonne on the import of a chemical used by industries like glass, bricks and tiles to protect the domestic industry from cheap Chinese imports.

The Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), a nodal investigation agency in the Commerce Ministry, has concluded in its preliminary findings that 'Barium Carbonate' is exported by China to India below its normal value, a ministry official said.

DGAD has also concluded that "the domestic industry has suffered material injury... The injury has been caused by the dumped imports from China," the official said.

The duty recommended by DGAD ranges between $121.31 and $213.34 per tonne. However, the imposition of the anti-dumping duty is notified by the Finance Ministry.

Acting on complaints from the domestic industry, DGAD, had initiated the probe into the dumping from China.

The period of investigation was 2008-09. Imports from China increased to 25,513 tonne in 2008-09 from 13,539 tonne in the previous fiscal.

As many as 11 anti-dumping duties have been imposed on Chinese firms in between April-February 2009-10.

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