India is planning to impose anti-dumping duty of $221 per tonne on a chemical used in making drugs and beverages, to guard the domestic industry from cheap Korean shipments.
The Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), the investigative body under the commerce ministry, has recommended the anti-dumping duty on imports of all grades of phosphoric acid (excluding agriculture/ fertiliser grade).
"DGAD has recommended an anti-dumping duty of $221.64 per tonne," an official said. The imposition of the duty, however, has to be notified by the finance ministry.
Acting on an application from Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals and Solaris Chemtech, DGAD had initiated the investigation into dumping of the acid from Korea.
DGAD in its recommendations has said the products have been exported to India below its normal value from Korea.
"The domestic industry has suffered material injury," the official said, adding the injury has been caused by the dumped imports from Korea.
Korea has exported 772 tonnes of phosphoric acid in 2006-07, and 15,408 tonne in 2007-08.
Unlike safeguard duty, which is levied in a uniform way, anti-dumping duty varies from product to product and country to country. Both duties are allowed under the multilateral trade rules after investigations to stand the WTO scrutiny.
India has slapped the duty on several items such as yarn, fabrics, some of the stainless steel products.