Govt imposes anti-dumping duty on gypsum boards import

The Revenue Department has imposed antidumping duty of up to USD 51.7 per cubic metre on the import of certain type of Gypsum Boards — used for interior construction — from China, Indonesia, Thailand, and UAE to protect domestic players from cheaper shipments.

The duty will remain in force for six months.

The restrictive duty was levied after the same was recommended by the Directorate General of Antidumping and Allied Duties (DGAD).

In its probe the DGAD had concluded that “the product (Plain Gypsum Plaster Boards)...had been exported to India from the subject countries below associated normal values... (and) the domestic industry had suffered material injury.”

Plain Gypsum Plaster Boards, known as Gypsum Boards in common trade parlance, are used in interior construction of suspended ceiling and partition applications.

The DGAD conducted the probe on the complaint of Saint— Gobain Gyproc India which accounts for about 80 per cent of the domestic production of the boards.

During January—December 2010, the investigation period, imports from the four countries had increased significantly by 194 per cent compared to 2007—08.

A country initiates antidumping probe to check if its domestic industry has been hurt because of a surge in cheap, or below—normal—cost, imports.

Antidumping measures are taken to ensure fair trade and provide a level—playing field to domestic players. It is not a measure to restrict imports or cause an unjustified increase in the cost of products.

India has initiated 275 anti—dumping investigations between 1992 and March 2012, involving over 40 countries.

Source : thehindu.com