Product description – The PUC is “Ceramic table wares and kitchenware, excluding knives and toilet items”. Bone china, stoneware and porcelainware all constitute ceramic products and therefore covered under the scope of PUC.

HS Codes – The product under consideration falls under Customs sub-headings ‘6911 and 6912’. However, these have been considered as indicative only and no way binding on the scope of present investigation.

Uses – Ceramic tableware and kitchenware products are used for the purpose of eating, drinking, and serving food and beverages in homes and hotels.

Countries involved – China PR.

Applicants – M/s Clay Craft (I) Pvt. Ltd. and M/s Ceramic Tableware Pvt. Ltd.

Date of imposition of duty – Original duty was preliminarily imposed on12^th June 2017 and definitive duties were imposed on 21^st February 2018. Therefore, the duties expire on 11^th June 2022. Present duty is recommended on 10^th March 2022 and is yet to be imposed by the Ministry of Finance.

Date of initiation – 31^st August 2021.

Period of investigation – April 2020 to March 2021.

Injury period – 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and the POI.

Margins and proposed duty – DGTR has recommended extension of 1075 US$/MT as duties.

Key findings –

• There is continued dumping of the subject goods, despite measures being in force. Imports are undercutting the prices of domestic industry and the price effect would have been much higher in the absence of duties. Considering the levels of price undercutting it is likely that industry would suffer huge losses in the absence of duties.
• Evidence of duties imposed and/or continuation of duties by other jurisdictions. Historical practice of dumping in other countries.
• Significant surplus production capacities and unutilized capacities, as seen from European Commission’s findings as well.
• Dumped imports continued even after imposition of duties and there was circumvention to avoid duties.
• Imports have also appeared via circumvention through Malaysia on which measures have already been extended.
• Domestic industry consequently, has been found to have suffered adversely in terms of volume parameters, and price levels were only maintained as it is MSME.