The end user industry of high grade stainless steel in the country including pesticides and chemicals, refinery, auto components, utensil manufacturers, plant and machinery manufacturers, kitchen equipment makers and refineries presently importing stainless steel for their respective industries have urged the prime minister and the commerce minister to immediately withdraw anti dumping duty on import of stainless steel levied on recommendation of commerce ministry.

Mr VP Ramachandra secretary of Process Plant Machinery Association of India said “Union Commerce Ministry had five months back recommended levying of anti dumping duty on import of stainless steel from China, the European Union, the US, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, South Africa and Thailand. The recommendation comes following a petition by Jindal Stainless to the Directorate General of Antidumping and Allied Duties which, in turn, has recommended a maximum levy of duty from USD 1,823 a tonne from China on import of cold rolled flat stainless product. The level of such duty on the product varies from country to country.”

He said that “Imposing of Anti Dumping duty on behest of single Manufacturer namely Jindal Stainless steel is not fair and ethical as it takes away our ‘RIGH TO CHOOSE’ our vendor. Most of our members are exporters and we need to be globally competitive and we need to import stainless steel in wider sizes and qualities to bag export orders.”

Mr Paresh Mehta president of All India Stainless Steel Industries Association said “More than 5000 stainless steel utensil and Cutlery manufacturing and exporting units employing about 300,000 workers across the country are facing closure as they have been adversary hit by the recession and the proposed Anti Dumping duty hike on stainless steel, the basic raw material will work as the last nail in the coffin of ailing industry.”

He added that “The commerce ministry has recommended anti dumping duties at behest of Jindal stainless steel, which does not qualify for anti dumping proceedings even as it does not account for more than 25% of the domestic production even while it has been making false claims that it produces more than 80% of domestic steel.”

He urged that “Union government should immediately stop Anti Dumping investigations and should provide stimulus package for stainless steel units, mostly small scale manufacturing units of stainless steel utensils, cutlery, knives and other household and kitchen products, employing more than 300,000 workers. These units are dependent on import of stainless steel and are exporting material worth INR 1800 crore.”