India imposes anti-dumping duty on Chinese refrigerant

Announces duty of $1.22 per kg on import of Tetrafluoroethane from China for five years

India has slapped anti-dumping duties on import of a refrigerant from China saying it hurt domestic producers, according to a recent notice from the Revenue Department.

The government imposed an anti-dumping duty of $1.22 per kilogram on import of '1,1,1,2 - Tetrafluoroethane' or 'R-134a' from China for a period of five years till July 10, 2021, said a notification by the Revenue Department.

The department's notice is to be published in the Federal Register on Friday.

India had first imposed anti-dumping duty on the compound commonly used in home refrigerators and automotive air conditioning in July 2011.

An investigation by the Directorate General of Anti- Dumping And Allied Duties (DGAD) found that "there is continued dumping of the subject goods from the subject country".

Anti-Dumping duty is usually imposed on imports that are sold 'below-cost' by foreign manufacturers and is aimed at safeguarding domestic players against 'unfair' competition.

Imports from China were significantly undercutting the prices of the domestic industry and depressing the domestic prices, DGAD concluded.

Also, the financial performance of the domestic industry has deteriorated and the dumped imports from China continue to cause injury to the domestic industry.

DGAD was of the opinion that dumping of produce from China is likely to continue if the current anti-dumping duty 

ceases. It recommended continued imposition of the anti- dumping duty.

Basing its case on the DGAD findings, the Revenue Department imposed fresh anti-dumping duty which it said will be "effective for a period of five years (unless revoked, superseded or amended earlier).