MoF Recommends 762 USD/MT, 908 USD/MT Anti-Dumping Duty On Fluoro Backsheets From China

As part of the initiatives to protect the domestic industry, the Union Ministry Of Finance recommended on June 15 the imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports of Fluoro Backsheet excluding transparent backsheet, (FBETB) originating in or exported from China and imported into India.

A polymer-based component used in the manufacture of solar modules, Fluoro Backsheet protects the modules against dirt, dust, moisture, and degradation.

According to the tariff headings 3920 and 3921 of the First Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 (51 of 1975) the designated officials have come to the conclusion that

(i) the product under consideration has been exported to India from the subject country at a price below normal value, thus resulting in dumping;

(ii) the domestic industry has suffered material injury due to dumping in respect of the subject goods; and

(iii) there is causal link between dumping of product under consideration and injury to the domestic industry.

According to the release issued by the Ministry of Finance, the dumping of Fluoro Backsheet excluding transparent by Jolywood (Suzhou) Sunwatt Co. Ltd. will attract 762 USD for every MT imported from China into India. Similarly, the dumping of Fluoro Backsheet excluding transparent by any producer in China PR other than Jolywood (Suzhou) Sunwatt Co. Ltd. will attract levy of 908 USD for every MT imported into India.

The anti-dumping duty imposed under this notification shall be levied for a period of five years (unless revoked, superseded or amended earlier) from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette and shall be payable in Indian currency.

The investigation arm of the commerce ministry, the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), notified in April that upon successful application by Renewsys India, it had initiated an investigation to determine the existence, degree and effect of any alleged dumping of Fluoro Backsheets used in the manufacturing of solar PV modules originating in or exported from China PR. Upon completion of the investigation, the DGTR will decide/ recommend the amount of anti-dumping duty, which is levied, would be adequate to protect the domestic injury. The product under consideration in that application was “Fluoro Backsheet” which is a polymer-based component used in the manufacturing of solar PV modules. It is manufactured using a lamination process where one or more sheets are laminated/ coated using solvent or extrusion lamination and/or liquid coating technology. Currently, there are mainly two types of backsheet in the market, Fluoro and non-Fluoro.

Backsheet is used to manufacture solar PV modules to protect cells and other module components from dirt, dust, moisture and UV radiations during the service life of the module. One sheet of the backsheet equal to the size of the module is used in making one set of module.