Govt initiates anti-dumping probe on cheap paper imports

The Dollar Business Bureau

The Government has initiated an anti-dumping investigation on the imports of uncoated copier paper from Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore, following complaints filed by some domestic producers. 

“The Authority has found "sufficient prima facie evidence" of dumping of uncoated copier paper from the subject countries, ‘injury’ to the domestic industry and causal link between the dumping and ‘injury’ exists to justify initiation of an anti-dumping investigation,” Directorate General of Antidumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) said in a notification (F. No.6/32/2017-DGAD).

“The authority hereby initiates an investigation into the alleged dumping, and consequent injury to the domestic industry,” it said. 

The move is aimed to protect the domestic industry against the cheap imports from those countries. 

The application before the DGAD has been filed by JK Paper Ltd, The West Coast Paper Mills Ltd, Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Ltd and Ballarpur Industries Ltd, for initiation of anti-dumping investigation.

The period for investigation would be from April 2016 to June 2017. However, the period will cover the data from April 2013 to March 2016 for the purpose of injury investigation. 

Generally, the countries carry out anti-dumping investigations to determine the injury to their domestic industry due to increase in cheap imports from other countries. 

As a counter step, the countries impose duties as per the multilateral regime of World Trade Organisation (WTO). 

The aim of imposing duties is to ensure fair trading practices and to create a level-playing field for the domestic industry vis-a-vis international exporters. 

India imported uncoated paper and paperboards worth $410 million during the financial year 2016-17, recording a growth of 14.85% compared to a year earlier.