DGAD looking into dumping of solar panels by China,US:Com Secy

The government has initiated a probe into alleged dumping of solar panels by China and the US, a top official today said.
"DGAD is looking into one of the request...That involves supply of solar panels from China, the US and few other also," Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher told reporters here.
He was replying to a question about the progress of the investigations started by the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) in 2012.
The government has given extra time to complete the investigations to the DGAD. The permission was given till May 22 this year.
In November 2012, the authority had initiated the probe.

The Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) in a notification had said that it has "sufficient prima facie evidence of dumping" of the solar cell, originating in or exported from these countries.

The authority would determine the existence, degree and effect of any alleged dumping and recommend the amount of anti-dumping duty.
The Solar Manufacturer's Association had filed the application for investigation on behalf of Indosolar Ltd), Jupiter Solar Power and Websol Energy Systems Ltd.
The action is against solar cells imported from these countries "whether or not assembled partially or fully in modules or panels".
Countries initiate an anti-dumping probe to determine whether their domestic industries have been hurt because of surge in cheap imports of any product. As a counter-measure, they impose duties under the multilateral regime of the WTO.

The duty is aimed at ensuring fair-trade practices and creating a level-playing field for domestic producers vis a-vis foreign producers and exporters resorting to dumping.
Unlike the safeguard duty, which is levied in a uniform way, anti-dumping duty varies from product to product and country to country.