Indian stainless steel users have sought Commerce and Industry Minister Mr Anand Sharma''s intervention in stopping the review probe on anti dumping duty on certain stainless steel items as the levy is hurting the domestic industry.

The industry is also demanding removal of the duty up to USD 1,646 per tonne on imported cold rolled flat products of stainless steel from the US, China, South Africa, France, Spain and other countries.
The duty was imposed in February.

In a letter to Sharma, dated July 8, All India Stainless Steel Industries Association said the review of the import restrictive duty would further hurt the industry.

Mr Vasant Kotadia President of AISSIA told PTI that “"The anti dumping duty has jacked up raw material prices for downstream industry and it has directly hit output costs and exports. The duty should be abolished.”

On the review probe, Mr Kotadia said widening of the scope of the duty would be very harmful for the user industry as it has to import large quantities of steel. He said “The review probe should be stopped.”

The Commerce Ministry is conducting a probe into the allegations made by JSL Ltd that some importers were circumventing anti dumping duty on the steel used in industries like consumer durables, auto and metro rail coach manufacturing.

AISSIA mainly comprises of utensil and cutlery manufacturers, who are primarily import dependent. The Association says it represents 10,000 units spread across the country employing about 100,000 people.

(Sourced from PTI)