The Designated Authority in the Commerce Ministry has commenced anti-dumping probe into the import of melamine from the European Union (EU), Iran, Indonesia and Japan.

A tasteless, odourless and non-toxic substance, melamine formaldehyde resin is used for laminates as it provides sturdiness, resistance to scratch, stain, water and heat. Asbestos filled melamine resins possess very high dielectric strength and high resistance. Melamine is reacted with formaldehyde and made into resins or moulding powder for making innumerable products of beauty and utility.

Gujarat State Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd, Vadodara, has filed an application to the Designated Authority, seeking an anti-dumping investigation into the import of melamine from the subject countries as the petitioner is the sole producer of melamine in India.

The petitioner stated that it has also resorted to imports at the time of its production disruption to meet the requirements of its small customers, who wished the petitioner to import the material and supply to them.

The bill of entry for these imports for customs clearance were not filed by the petitioner and even the imports made by the petitioner constituted roughly 11.78 per cent of its production, 7.44 per cent of total imports and 4.57 per cent of consumption in India during the period of probe.

Hence the Authority, while examining the petitioner's import of the subject goods, held that the petitioner is not a trader per se and is not resorting to imports in order to take advantage of dumping.

It further held that GSGC has not turned to imports and it is not behaving like an importer trader since the focus of the company remains as a producer.

The petitioner has furnished information on various parameters pertaining to material injury and a scrutiny of the details suggest that imports from subject countries have increased in the period of probe in absolute terms as also in relation to production and consumption in India.

The applicant has proposed April 2009 to March 2010 as period of investigation and the Authority deemed it apt to extend the proposed period of probe from April 2009 to June 2010 (15 months) while the injury investigation period would be the fiscal years preceding the period of probe, viz., 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09.

New Delhi, Dec. 8

Source: blonnet.com