Product Description – Methyl Acetoacetate.

Methyl Acetoacetate (also known his MAA/MAAE/AAME) is a Diketene based Ester or aceto-acetate. The chemical Formula of MAA is C5H803 and at 99% purity, it is a clear liquid with a colourless appearance.

HS Codes – 29183040, 29183090 and 29189990.

Country Involved – China PR

Applicant – M/s Laxmi Organics Industries Limited.

Supporter – Jubilant Ingrevia Limited

Date of Initiation – 26^th June, 2025.

Period of Investigation – 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024.

Injury Period – 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022, 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023 and 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024 and the period of investigation.

Margins and Recommended Duties:

S N	Producer(s)	Dumping Margin (%)	Injury Margin (%)	Duty ($/Kg)
	Nantong Acetic Acid Chemical Co., Ltd.	30-40	10-20	0.277
	Others	40-50	20-30	0.404

Key Findings:

1. The product under consideration is Methyl Acetoacetate also known as MAA/MAAE/AAME.
2. The applicant was the sole producer in past investigations. However, during the injury period, Jubilant Ingrevia Limited established capacity and entered the market as a new manufacturer. Junilant supported the application and continuation of duties.
3. The applicant’s production constitutes eligible domestic industry, satisfying the criteria of Rule 2(b) and 5(3).
4. The responding exporter, Nantong Acetic Acid, requested that it may be granted market economy treatment. However, in view of the fact that it had not filed supplementary questionnaire response and that it had not demonstrated any change in circumstances since the past investigation justifying market-economy treatment, the Authority rejected the claim and considered it appropriate to treat China PR as a non-market economy.
5. The subject imports continue to enter India at dumped prices. Dumping Margin is more than de minimis and significant.
6. The demand in the base year was high due to the impact of COVID since the product finds usage in pharma sector. The demand declined over the injury period but remained largely similar to the previous investigation.
7. The volume of subject imports remains significant in absolute as well as relative terms.
8. Despite anti-dumping duties, imports from China PR remain significant and exceed levels from previous investigations.
9. The landed value of imports is lower than the domestic industry’s net sales realization, causing subject imports to undercut domestic prices. Imports are also entering the country under advance license scheme. Such imports have the effect of benchmarking the prices in the domestic market. Price at which duty-free imports entered the market show the price at which the goods are likely to be imported in the event of cessation of duties.
10. The landed value of subject imports declined more sharply than the domestic industry’s costs and selling prices, forcing DI to lower prices below cost. Thus, dumped imports had a depressing and suppressing effect on domestic prices.
11. The domestic industry’s production declined over the injury period. It had to reduce prices to maintain sales volumes and gain market share.
12. Profitability of the domestic industry declined as the landed value of dumped imports declined, falling below cost and forcing DI to reduce it prices due to which the industry earned negligible profits in POI.
13. The return on capital employed of the domestic industry is almost negligible in the period of investigation.
14. The level of inventories with the domestic industry has increased significantly over the injury period.
15. Growth of the domestic industry is adversely impacted. The price parameters of the domestic industry registered negative growth due to continued dumping from the subject country.
16. The domestic industry has not suffered injury due to other factors.
17. The dumping margin determined in the present investigation is higher than that determined previously, indicating persistent dumping behaviour.
18. Producers in subject country have significant capacities which is higher than their domestic demand. Their surplus, freely disposable capacities are likely to be diverted to India if anti-dumping duties expire.
19. Exports to India account for majority of the participating exporter’s sales, indicating that India is a favoured export destination. Indian market is more remunerative to the exporter vis-à-vis domestic sales. Therefore, India is price attractive for the exporter.
20. If duties are not continued, the domestic industry will have to either reduce its prices and suffer losses or lose sales volumes and market share.
21. The impact of duty on end consumer is found to be insignificant.
22. The Authority recommended continuation of anti-dumping duty for a period of five 5 years.