Govt opens anti-dumping probe into cheap steel imports from China, Japan, Russia

New Delhi, June 26 (IANS) India has begun an anti-dumping probe against cheap steel imports from China, Japan, and Russia, according to a Commerce Ministry notification on Friday.

The applicants alleged that the “product under consideration is being imported from the subject countries at dumped prices, which is causing material injury to the domestic industry”.

“The applicants have also alleged that there is a further threat of material injury to the domestic industry due to dumped imports and have requested the imposition of anti-dumping duty on the imports of the product under consideration from the subject countries,” according to the notification.

They alleged that “hot rolled flat products of alloy or non-alloy steel” exported from China, Japan, and Russia are being imported at dumped prices, which is causing material injury to the domestic industry.

The product is used in automotive, oil and gas line pipes/exploration, cold rolled steel products, pipe manufacturing, general engineering and fabrication, construction, capital goods, process equipment for cement, fertiliser, refineries, and earth-moving.

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) said its initial findings showed that the product was being exported at prices significantly lower than its normal value.

The gap between the two, known as the dumping margin, was found to be above the minimum threshold and significant for exports from these countries.

The product under consideration in the present investigation is “Hot Rolled flat products of alloy or non-alloy steel, not clad, plated or coated, of a thickness up to 25 mm and width up to 2,100 mm”.

The product, however, under consideration does not cover hot-rolled flat products of stainless steel.

“On the basis of the duly substantiated application filed by the applicants, and having satisfied itself, on the basis of the prima facie evidence submitted by the applicants substantiating dumping of the product…the Authority, hereby, initiates an anti-dumping investigation,” the notification said.

In a separate notification, the DGTR said it is also investigating the alleged dumping of ‘Dialysers’ from China and Malaysia. It is a disposable medical device, which acts as an artificial kidney and performs the critical function of removing waste substances such as urea, excess fluid, and toxins from a patient’s blood.

–IANS

na/vd