In an attempt to protect the domestic steel industry , the government has imposed anti-dumping duties of up to $185.51 per tonne for five years on certain varieties of Chinese steel.

The revenue department imposed the duty based on the recommendations of the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), according to a government notification.

China has been producing nearly 25-30 per cent more steel than what it was consuming, and was dumping all the excess steel. However, what helped Chinese steel manufacturers was a 25 per cent subsidy given by its government.

The problem has been further aggravated as both developed and developing nations have cut down on their consumption .

JSW Steel Ltd, Sunflag Iron & Steel Co, Usha Martin, Gerdau Steel India, Vardhman Special Steels and Jayaswal Neco Industries Ltd had jointly filed an application before the DGTR for the initiation of investigations.

In its anti-dumping investigation, the DGTR stated that the dumped imports of “straight length bars and rods of alloy steel” from China have increased in absolute terms during the period of probe.

The duty has been imposed in the range of $44.89 to 185.51 per tonne on import of “alloy bars and rods in straight length, whether or not hot rolled, hot drawn, cold drawn, cold extruded, peeled bar, surface machined, polished, bright bar, forged”.

“The anti-dumping duty ... shall be effective for a period of five years (unless revoked, superseded or amended earlier) from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette and shall be paid in Indian currency,” the notification said.