DGTR recommends imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports of Chinese chemical used in paper, paint industry
The commerce ministry's investigation arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has recommended imposition of an anti-dumping duty of up to $681 per tonne on imports of a Chinese chemical used in paper and paint industry. The imposition of the duty would guard domestic producers of 'Titanium Dioxide' from cheap Chinese imports. In its final findings, the DGTR has concluded that the chemical has been exported to India at a price below the normal value, resulting in dumping.
The notification of the directorate said the imports have had a considerable impact on suppressing the prices of the domestic industry. Accordingly, the authority recommends imposition of definitive anti-dumping duty on the imports. The recommended duty ranges between $460 per tonne and $681 per tonne. The finance ministry takes the final decision to impose duties. The DGTR conducted the probe following applications regarding the same from Kerala Minerals and Metals, Travancore Titanium Products, and VV Titanium Pigments. Titanium dioxide is the brightest and whitest of the known pigments and it is used in various industries, including paints and coatings, plastics, papers, rubbers and inks.
Anti-dumping probes are conducted by countries to determine whether domestic industries have been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports. As a countermeasure, they impose these duties under the multilateral regime of the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO). Both India and China are members of the multilateral organisations, which deals with global trade norms. The duty is aimed at ensuring fair trading practices and creating a level-playing field for domestic producers vis-a-vis foreign producers and exporters. India has already imposed anti-dumping duty on several products to tackle cheap imports from various countries, including China.
