Solar power gear makers seek anti-dumping duty on imports

Domestic solar power gear makers have said their industry will be "crippled" if government does not impose anti-dumping duty on import of photo-voltaic products from the US, China, Taiwan and Malaysia.
Indian Solar Manufacturers' Association (ISMA), a body representing 25 domestic solar manufacturers, has said that thin-film and silicon PV cells and modules imported into India from the US and other Asian countries are being sold at ridiculously low prices bleeding the local industry and violating international fair trade regulations.
They have estimated a loss of over Rs 1,000 crore to the indigenous manufacturers due to this.
"Hundreds of Indian workers have been laid off and more jobs will be lost. Domestic solar product manufacturers have lost over Rs 1,000 crore," ISMA said in a statement.

The industry body also argued that countries in the EU and the Middle East, the US, China and South Africa require locally manufactured equipment to be used in solar farms thereby ensuring energy security and also employment to their countrymen.
The solar equipment manufacturers are demanding anti- dumping duty on imported PV products to the tune of 30-35 per cent, sources said.

Recently, the European Union imposed anti-dumping duty of around 48 per cent on Chinese solar imports. US Commerce Department too had imposed anti-dumping duties ranging from 29.18 per cent to 254.66 per cent on solar-energy cells imported from China in December 2012, ISMA said.

In January 2013, the Ministry of Commerce issued gazette notification for launch of anti-dumping investigations into imported PV cells from China, Taiwan, Malaysia and the US.
Contrary to the claims of solar developers about quality, India-made solar cells and modules are compliant with German certified IEC specs and calibrated in German Laboratories, ISMA said.
"India has been supplying cells and modules to all major countries in Europe and Japan who have by far the most stringent quality standards and has found a ready market in these discerning countries," it added.
The body urged the central government to check these rising imports via dumping or the entire Indian solar manufacturing industry might face the risk of becoming dependant on imports risking our energy security.