Anti-dumping duties

Today's BL has an interesting example anti-dumping duties imposed by India on application by, whoelse, other businesses. Here, All-India Rubber Industries Association wants to review the duties because one company which wanted the anti-dumping duties has closed down seven years back, and another which won a anti-dumping case more recently is down because of a fire. Taxes continue.

BL writes:

[out] of the four types of synthetic rubbers as made in India, (SBR-1900, HSR, NBR and EPDM), antidumping duties are levied on three of them.

Mr Thomas said anti-dumping duty was levied on SBR-1900 at the instance of Synthetics and Chemicals Ltd, and the company was wound up some seven years ago, though the levy still continues. It is learnt that while levy on SBR-1500 and 1700 has been withdrawn, that on SBR-1900 still continues.

Asked on EPDM, anti-dumping duty on which was imposed from July 2006 on an application by Unimers India Ltd, the sole manufacturer in the country, Mr Thomas said the quality of the indigenous variety was not up to the standard and supplies to consumers too were quite erratic. He said the availability was just 5,000 tonnes per annum against the industry requirement of around 16,000 tonnes.

The Unimers India plant is now said to be out of operation owing to a devastating fire at the factory premises recently, and that the anti-dumping authority has assured suspension of levy of anti-dumping duty till such time as Unimers is able to commence full production.

Indians love anti-dumping duties. Remember the Friedman quote a few posts back?