The Finance Ministry has imposed definitive anti-dumping duty on certain jute products—Jute Yarn/Twine, Hessian Fabric and Jute Sacking bags—from Bangladesh and Nepal.
The anti-dumping duty—which will be valid for five years—ranged from $ 6.30 to $ 351.72 per tonne depending on the producer and country of export.
This revenue department move follows the recommendations of the Designated Authority in the commerce ministry in its final findings in October 2016.
The broad usages of Jute include packaging, geo-textiles, protection of rooting plants, making of cloths, bags, wrapping, boot and shoe lining, fuse yarns, aprons, canal, ropes, strings, upholstery foundation, curtains and furnishing fabrics. Jute cam also be mixed with wool for fine yarn and fabric production.
The Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA) had sought anti-dumping probe on these jute product imports from Bangladesh and Nepal. At the time of filing of petition—October 2015, there were 34 producers of such products—who were members of IJMA. As many as 15 Indian producers had expressly supported the petition and had provided injury information. Another 14 Indian companies had supported the petition.
Dumping of jute products are understood to have cause financial losses to the domestic jute sector, resulting in closure of some mills and job losses.