Govt may impose anti-dumping duty on imports of coated paper

The duty aims to ensure fair trading practices and creating a level-playing field for domestic producers with regard to foreign producers and exporters.

New Delhi: India may impose anti-dumping duty on coated paper from China, EU, and the US as the government has initiated a probe into an alleged dumping of the product following complaints by domestic players.

Indian Paper Manufacturers Association on behalf of BILT Graphics Paper Products, subsidiary of Ballarpur Industries, has filed an application before the Directorate General of Antidumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) for initiation of anti-dumping investigation on imports of coated paper from these countries.

The DGAD, under the commerce ministry, in a notification stated that it has prima facie found "evidence of dumping" of the paper from China, European Union (EU) and the US.

The authority "hereby initiates an investigation into the alleged dumping, and consequent injury to the domestic industry," the notification said.

If established that dumping has caused material injury to domestic players, the directorate would recommend imposition of anti-dumping duty on the imports.

The paper is primarily used for printing of magazines, catalogues, books and manuals, calendars, brochures, labels and flexible packaging.

The period from April 2016 to June 2017 (15 months) will be taken for the probe.

Countries carry out an anti-dumping probe to determine whether their domestic industries have been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports.

As a countermeasure, they impose duties under the multilateral regime of WTO.

The duty is aimed at ensuring fair trading practices and creating a level-playing field for domestic producers with regard to foreign producers and exporters.

India has already imposed anti-dumping duty on several products to tackle cheap imports, including from China.

The country has imposed the duty on as many as 98 products, as on December 27 last year, imported from China.