Imported Backsheet Going To Face Anti Dumping Duty As Per DGTR’s Recommendation

On March 2021, upon request of India’s major backsheet producer Renewsys India Pvt Ltd, DGTR had initiated anti dumping duty investigation on imported fluoro based originating from China.

Backsheet is a polymer based component used in manufacturing of solar PV modules. It is manufactured using lamination process where one or more sheets laminated/ coated using solvent or extrusion lamination and/or liquid coating technology. Currently there are mainly two types of backsheet, fluoro and non-fluoro. Fluoro type of backsheet majorly used for solar PV module manufacturing due to superior quality and reliability.

DGTR published its recommendation on anti dumping duty over imported fluoro backsheet based on investigation period (POI) from Oct 1,2019 to Sep 30, 2020. The directorate conducted injury analysis in various period to assess the impact of the dumping on domestic industry. The periods are April 1,2017 to March 2018, April 2018 to March 2019 , April 2019 to March 2020, and the actual investing period.

The backsheet supplier under investigation were as follows:

1.Cybrid Technologies Inc.

2.Jolywood (Suzhou) Sunwatt Co. Ltd

3.Coveme Engineered Films Zhangjiang Co.Ltd

4.Crown Advanced Material Co. Ltd

5.Jiangsu Shuangxing Color Plastic New Materials Co. Ltd

6.Anhui Evergreen New Material Technology Co Ltd

7.Hongzhou First Applied Material Co.Ltd

8.Grand New Material Co.Ltd

9.DSM China Ltd

10.Changzhou Huitian New Material Co

11.M/S Shanghai Huitian New Material Co. Ltd

Renewsys has established that they are equally capable to manufacture same quality imported backsheet of different types i.e. fully laminated, fully coated & partially coated. They also acknowledged their limitation in transparent backsheet manufacturing. Accordingly, DGTR excluded transparent backsheet type from the investigation.

After analysing all import data available from DGCI&S, it is evident in period of investigation total 331MT unit of fluoro backsheet has been imported whereas the total demand was 283MT. The share of imported backsheet from China was whopping 117%. Thus the dumping of fluoro backsheet from the subject country is clearly evident.

Particulars	Unit (MT)	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	POI (Period Of Investigation)
Import from subject country		100	144	313	331
Import from other country		100	202	48	6
Total Demand		100	150	252	283
Share of subject country in demand (%)		100	96	124	117

As per the data, price undercutting of imported backsheet in comparison to domestic product was between 0-20% in POI duration.

Price Undercutting : Net selling price of the domestic industry – landed value of the product.

Directorate also acknowledge due to dumping, domestic industry turned into losses during the POI. And also company’s PBIT (Profit before tax), ROCE , Cash profit turned into negative during the investigation period.

After analyzing all assessment and extent of injury on the domestic industry due to dumping of imported backsheet, DGTR has recommended anti dumping duty as per following rate for upto five years from the notification of anti dumping duty implementation date by government of India.

Sl No	Heading	Description	Country Of Origin	Country of Export	Producer	Amount ($/MT)
1	3920,3921	Fluoro backsheet excluding transparent backsheet	China PR	Any country including China PR	Jolywood	762
2	3920,3921	Fluoro backsheet excluding transparent backsheet	China PR	Any country including China PR	Any producer other than Jolywood	908
3	3920,3921	Fluoro backsheet excluding transparent backsheet	China PR		Any	908