Govt to impose anti dumping duty on 21 flat-rolled steel products

In a positive news that can cheer the domestic steel makers, the government may impose anti-dumping duty on 21 flat-rolled products of non-alloy steel. Steel secretary Aruna Sharma has said that anti-dumping duty on 21 flat-rolled products of non-alloy steel such as corrugated sheets are in the offing. She further added that the notified provisional anti-dumping duty on 15 wire rod of alloy or non-alloy products would be implemented soon.

Earlier, the Steel Secretary had said that anti-dumping duty is the long-term arrangement for imports and the anti-dumping is WTO-complaint and can be levied for five years. She added that anti-dumping duty per country will be imposed based on evidence.

Following the imposition of minimum import price (MIP) on 173 steel products in the range of $341-752 per tonne for six months in February, aimed at containing imports, the government in August imposed anti-dumping duty on 107 of these products and extended MIP on the remaining 66 items twice each time for two months in August and in October.

Sharma said that there is no strong evidence of imports causing injury on 30 semi-finished products, including TMT bars and in any case, MIP is there till December 4. Once the dumping duties are imposed, the MIPs become redundant. She has also said that the government will opt for MIP in TMT and Slabs if international prices fall but at present there's no need to have antidumping duty on TMT due to higher international prices.