The Directorate General of Anti Dumping and Allied Duties has initiated an investigation into imports of uncoated copier paper originating in or exported from Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore. This is based on an application filed by four companies.

A notification from the authority said it found “sufficient prima facie evidence of dumping of the subject goods originating in or exported from the subject countries, [causing] injury to the domestic industry”. The period being considered for the investigation is April 2016 to June 2017.

‘Help sought’

According to the Indian Paper Manufacturers’ Association, the industry had been seeking government intervention to check duty-free import of paper from ASEAN countries, for almost a year.

Of the 800 paper mills in the country that make writing and printing paper, paper boards and packaging paper, newsprint, and speciality paper, 12 make copier papers. The mill-delivered cost of domestic wood in the country is higher by $30-$40 per tonne than in other Asian countries.

This is a major area of concern for the mills. With India having Free Trade Agreements with ASEAN countries, which include Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore, duty-free imports of uncoated copier paper from these nations have gone up.

Rohit Pandit, secretary general of the association, said though imports from China were also on the rise, uncoated copier paper (which falls under the writing and printing paper category) was mainly from the above three countries.

The authority takes up investigation only after analysing data provided by applicants and the entire process could take a few months, Mr. Pandit said. To check rampant imports, the association had sought removal of paper from the zero-duty category, he said.

Source: The Hindu