Govt may impose anti-dumping duty on Chinese calculators

Says calculators have been exported to India from China below the normal value

The government may impose anti-dumping duty of up to $1.22 per piece on Chinese electronic calculators to protect the domestic makers from cheap imports.

The Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), in its final findings of the investigation has said that calculators have been exported to India from China below the normal value and "thus, resulting in dumping of the product".

The probe was initiated over a complaint filed by Ajanta Pvt Ltd on behalf of the domestic industry.

"The Authority (DGAD) recommends imposition of definitive anti-dumping... So as to remove the injury to the domestic industry," said a notification from the commerce ministry.

The recommended anti-dumping duty ranges between $0.28 per piece and $1.22 per piece.

Anti-dumping duty is recommended by the commerce ministry, while the finance ministry imposes it.

Imports of electronic calculators were increased from 1.90 crore pieces to 3.15 crore pieces during April 2012 to March 2013.

The government has imposed these duties on several other products, including products from chemical sector, from China.

Unlike safeguard duties, which are levied in a uniform way, anti-dumping duties vary from product to product and from country to country.

Countries initiate anti-dumping probes to check if domestic industry has been hurt because of a surge in below- cost imports.

As a counter-measure, they impose duties under the multilateral WTO regime.