NEW DELHI: Stainless steel importers have sought the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for taking steps to immediately roll back the anti-dumping duty on the alloy stating the the tax barrier posed closure threat for thousands of export-oriented units that ship high-grade stainless steel unavailable here.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, importers owing allegiance to All India Stainless Steel Industries Association (AISSIA) said the provisional duty of up to $1,823 a tonne on cold-rolled flat stainless products, used by utensils and cookware makers, had made imports far beyond the reach of user-industries.
Due to imposition of anti-dumping duty on stainless steel products not manufactured in India, the user industry was facing closure as orders for exports had been cancelled in the absence of requisite grade imported stainless steel,” AISSIA Vice-President Paresh Mehta said in a statement.
The stainless steel cookware and cutlery industry claims to export products worth over Rs. 2,000 crore annually.
Source : The Hindu