Comm Min recommends continuation of anti-dumping duty on chemical from EU, US

The commerce ministry has recommended continuation of anti-dumping duty for five years on a chemical used in pharma and agro industries, imported from the European Union and the US.

The move is aimed at guarding domestic manufacturers of 'Methylene Chloride' from cheap imports from the European Union (EU) and the US.

Continuation of the duty was recommended by the ministry's investigation arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), which conducted a probe into the alleged dumping of the chemical from these two regions.

In its findings, DGTR concluded that there is a "continued dumping" of the product from the EU and the US and that is causing injury to domestic industry here.

Despite the anti-dumping duty in force, the financial performance of the domestic industry has deteriorated, DGTR said in a notification.

"The authority recommends continued imposition of anti-dumping duty...for a period of five years concerning all imports of the subject goods originating in or exported from the EU and the US," it said.

It also concluded that during the period of investigation (January-December 2017), the domestic industry has shown negative growth in terms of the economic parameters such as production, sales, and profitability.

"The dumped imports from the EU and the US continue to cause injury to the domestic industry," it added.

Gujarat Fluorochemicals and Chemplast Sanmar had