Gazette Tracker
Gazette Tracker

Core Purpose

This notification initiates an anti-dumping investigation concerning imports of "Normal Butanol" or "N-BUTYL ALCOHOL" originating in or exported from Taiwan and Saudi Arabia.

Detailed Summary

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Department of Commerce) has initiated an anti-dumping investigation, Case No. AD (OI) – 30/2025, on 27th September, 2025. The investigation concerns the imports of "Normal Butanol" or "N-Butyl Alcohol," classified under Chapter 29, sub-heading 2905, and specifically imported under 29051300 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, with the product measured in MT. The application was filed by The Andhra Petrochemicals Limited, alleging dumping and material injury to the domestic industry from imports originating in or exported from Taiwan and Saudi Arabia. Initially, China PR was also included but excluded due to negligible import volumes based on DGCI&S data. The Designated Authority, Siddharth Mahajan, found prima facie evidence of dumping above de minimis levels and material injury, including increased import volumes, price undercutting, price depression, and deteriorating domestic industry profitability. The Period of Investigation (POI) is from 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025. The injury examination period spans 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022, 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023, 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024, and the POI. The Andhra Petrochemicals Limited is deemed an eligible domestic industry under Rule 2(b) and satisfies standing criteria under Rule 5(3) of the Customs Tariff (Identification, Assessment and Collection of Anti-Dumping Duty on Dumped Articles and for Determination of injury) Rules, 1995. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited is also noted as a producer since 2021. Interested parties must submit information via specified email addresses within 30 days from the deemed receipt of notice (one week from dispatch), following Rule 6(4) and Rule 7(2) for confidential submissions.

Full Text

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-30092025-266547 EXTRAORDINARY PART I—Section 1 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 276] NEW DELHI, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2025/ASVINA 5, 1947 MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (Department of Commerce) (Directorate General of Trade Remedies) INITIATION NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 27th September, 2025 Case No. AD (OI) – 30/2025 Subject: Initiation of anti-dumping investigation concerning imports of "Normal Butanol” or “N-BUTYL ALCOHOL" originating in or exported from Taiwan and Saudi Arabia. 1. F. No. 6/33/2025-DGTR.—The Andhra Petrochemicals Limited (hereinafter also referred to as the Petitioner or Applicant) has filed an application before the Designated Authority (hereinafter also referred to as the Authority) in accordance with the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, as amended from time to time (hereinafter also referred to as the Act) and the Customs Tariff (Identification, Assessment and Collection of Anti-Dumping Duty on Dumped Articles and for Determination of injury) Rules, 1995 as amended from time to time (hereinafter referred to as the Rules) for imposition of Anti-dumping duty on imports of 'Normal Butanol' or 'N-Butyl Alcohol' (hereinafter referred to as the subject goods or PUC) from China PR, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia. 2. The applicant has alleged that dumping of the product under consideration from the subject country is causing material injury to the domestic industry in the country and has requested for the imposition of anti-dumping duties on the imports of the product under consideration from the subject countries. A.PRODUCT UNDER CONSIDERATION 3. The scope of product under consideration as claimed by the applicant is defined as follows:- “The product under consideration is Normal Butanol. Normal Butanol is a primary alcohol with a 4-carbon structure and molecular formula C4H9OH. Normal Butanol is an excellent solvent for acid-curable lacquers and baking finishes derived from urea, melamine or phenolic resins. A large part of N-Butanol is converted into derivatives for use as solvents in coating industries and printing inks. Normal Butanol also finds application as extractant in production of drugs and natural substances, additive in polishes and cleaners, solubilizer in the textile industry, additive in deicing fluids, anti-icing additive in gasoline, humectant for cellulose nitrate, feedstock in the production of glycol ethers and floatation aids (Butyl Xanthate) and as starting material for the production of Butyl mono Carboxylates, Butyl Acetate, Butyl butyrate." 4. Normal butanol is used as an excellent solvent for acid-curable lacquers and baking finishes derived from urea, melamine or phenolic resins. A large part of N-Butanol is converted into derivatives for use as solvents in coating industries. The applications in which normal butanol can be used are Solvent for printing inks, extractant in production of drugs and natural substances etc. 5. Unit of measurement The product under consideration is produced and sold in terms of weight expressed in MT. 6. Tariff classification The product under consideration is classified under Chapter 29 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 under sub- heading 2905. The product under consideration is imported under 29051300. However, the customs classification is only indicative and is not binding on the scope of the product under consideration 7. The parties to the present investigation may provide their comments on the scope f PUC and propose product control numbers (PCN) methodology, if any, within 15 days of circulation of the receipt of intimation of initiation of the investigation. B. LIKE ARTICLE 8. The applicant has claimed that there is no significant difference in the goods produced by the applicant and exported from the subject countries. The product produced by the applicant and imported from the subject countries are comparable in terms of characteristics such as physical characteristics, manufacturing process & technology, functions & uses, product specifications, pricing, distribution & marketing, and tariff classification of the goods. The authority notes that the two are prima facie technically and commercially substitutable. Therefore, the product produced by the applicant is a “like article" to the product being imported from the subject countries. C. SUBJECT COUNTRIES 9. The present application has been filed in respect of dumping of the product under consideration from China, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia. However, the DGCI&S data has been examined and found that there is negligible volume of import of subject goods from China PR. In view of the same, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia are considered as subject countries. D. PERIOD OF INVESTIGATION (POI) 10. The period of investigation (POI) for the investigation is from 1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025 (12 months). The injury examination period is 1st April 2021 - 31st March 2022, 1st April 2022 - 31st March 2023, 1st April 2023 - 31st March 2024 and the period of investigation. E. DOMESTIC INDUSTRY & STANDING 11. The present application has been filed by The Andhra Petrochemicals Limited. Apart from the applicant, there is another producer namely Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (hereinafter referred to as "BPCL"). The applicant has claimed that in the previous investigation, the applicant was the sole producer of the subject goods in India. In 2021 BPCL commenced its production of the subject goods in India. The other producer has neither opposed nor supported the application. It is also submitted that the applicant has neither imported the subject goods from subject countries nor is related to any exporter or producer in the subject countries. 12. On the basis of information available on record, the Authority is prima facie satisfied that the applicant, namely The Andhra Petrochemicals Limited constitutes eligible domestic industry within the meaning of Rule 2(b) of the Rules and the application satisfies the criteria of standing in terms of Rule 5(3) of the Rules. F. BASIS FOR ALLEGED DUMPING (1) Normal Value for Taiwan and Saudi Arabia 13. Under Section 9A (1)(c), the law permits normal value to be determined based on domestic prices, third-country export prices, or cost of production plus expenses and profits. The applicant has claimed normal value based on the cost of production in India based on best estimates of the cost of the production with reasonable addition for selling, general & administrative expenses and reasonable profit margins. For the purpose of initiation, the Authority has considered the constructed normal value based on cost of production in India. (2) Export Price 14. The export price for the subject goods has been computed based on the DGCI &S transaction-wise import data. Appropriate price adjustments have been claimed to make prices at ex-factory levels so that they become comparable with normal value. (3) Dumping Margin 15. The normal value and the export price have been compared at the ex-factory level, which prima facie establishes that the dumping margin is above the de minimis level and is significant with respect to the product under consideration exported from the subject countries. Thus, there is sufficient prima facie evidence that the product under consideration from the subject countries is being dumped in the domestic market of India by the exporters from the subject countries. G. INJURY AND CAUSAL LINK 16. Information furnished by the applicant has been considered for assessment of injury to the domestic industry. The applicants have furnished prima facie evidence establishing that the subject imports have caused injury to the domestic industry. The applicants have claimed that the volume of imports increased in both absolute terms and in relation to domestic production and demand in India over the injury period.. The dumping margin for subject countries are more than de minimis and significant. The imports are undercutting the prices of the domestic industry. The imports have depressed the prices of the domestic industry, and have prevented price increases, which otherwise would have occurred. This has adversely impacted the profitability of the domestic industry which has deteriorated in the injury period. There is sufficient prima facie evidence of material injury being caused to the domestic industry due to the dumped imports from the subject countries i.e, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia to justify initiation of anti-dumping investigation. H. INITIATION OF THE ANTI-DUMPING INVESTIGATION 17. On the basis of the duly substantiated written application submitted by the domestic industry, and having reached satisfaction based on the prima facie evidence submitted by domestic industry about dumping of subject goods originating in or exported from the subject country, the injury to the domestic industry and the causal link between such alleged dumping and injury, and in accordance with Section 9A of the Act read with Rule 5 of the AD Rules, the Authority, hereby, initiates an anti-dumping investigation to determine the existence, degree, and effect of the alleged dumping in respect of the subject goods originating in or exported from Saudi Arabia and Taiwan and to recommend the amount of anti-dumping duty, which if levied, would be adequate to remove the injury to the domestic industry. I. PROCEDURE 18. Principles, as given in Rule 6 of the Rules, will be followed for the present investigation. J. SUBMISSION OF INFORMATION 19. All communication should be sent to the Designated Authority via email at email addresses ds2-dgtr@gov.in and dd19-dgtr@nic.in with a copy to adv11-dgtr@gov.in and consultant-dgtr@govcontractor.in It must be ensured that the narrative part of the submission is in searchable PDF/MS-Word format and data files are in MS-Excel format. 20. The known producers/exporters in the subject countries, the government of the subject countries through its embassies in India, and the importers and users in India who are known to be associated with the subject goods are being informed separately to enable them to file all the relevant information within the time limits mentioned in this initiation notification. All such information must be filed in the form and manner as prescribed by this initiation notification, the Rules, and the applicable trade notices issued by the Authority. 21. Any other interested party may also make a submission relevant to the present investigation in the form and manner as prescribed by this initiation notification, the Rules, and the applicable trade notices issued by the Authority within the time limits mentioned in this initiation notification. 22. Any party making any confidential submission before the Authority is required to make a non-confidential version of the same available to the other interested parties. 23. The interested parties are further advised to keep a regular watch on the official website of the Directorate General of Trade Remedies at www.dgtr.gov.in for any updated information with respect to this investigation. Interested parties are directed to regularly visit the website of DGTR (https://www.dgtr.gov.in/) to stay apprised with the further developments in the subject investigation and remain informed regarding notices that may be issued from time to time regarding questionnaire formats, PCN methodology, PCN discussion/meeting schedule, notice of oral hearing, corrigendum, amendment notifications, and other such information. K. TIME LIMIT 24. Any information relating to the present investigation should be sent to the Authority via email at email addresses ds2-dgtr@gov.in and dd19-dgtr@nic.in with a copy to adv11-dgtr@gov.in and consultant- dgtr@govcontractor.in within 30 days from the date of the receipt of the notice as per the Rule 6(4) of the Rules. It may, however, be noted that in terms of explanation of the said Rules, the notice calling for information and other documents shall be deemed to have received within one week from the date on which it was sent by the Authority or transmitted to the appropriate diplomatic representative of the exporting countries. If no information is received within the prescribed time-limit or the information received is incomplete, the Authority may record its findings on the basis of the facts available on record in accordance with the Rules. 25. All the interested parties are hereby advised to intimate their interest (including the nature of interest) in the instant matter and file their questionnaire responses within the above time limit as stipulated in this notification. L. SUBMISSION OF INFORMATION ON CONFIDENTIAL BASIS 26. Any party making confidential submission or providing information on a confidential basis before the Authority, is required to simultaneously submit a non-confidential version of the same information in terms of Rule 7(2) of the Rules and in accordance with the relevant trade notices issued by the Authority in this regard. Failure to adhere to the above may lead to rejection of the response/submissions. 27. The parties making any submission (including Appendices/Annexures attached thereto), before the Authority including questionnaire responses, are required to file confidential and non-confidential versions separately. 28. Such submissions must be clearly marked as "confidential” or “non-confidential" at the top of each page. Any submission that has been made to the Authority without such markings shall be treated as “non- confidential" information by the Authority, and the Authority shall be at liberty to allow other interested parties to inspect such submissions. 29. The confidential version shall contain all information which is, by nature, confidential, and/or other information which the supplier of such information claims as confidential. For the information which is claimed to be confidential by nature, or the information on which confidentiality is claimed because of other reasons, the supplier of the information is required to provide a good cause statement along with the supplied information as to why such information cannot be disclosed. 30. The non-confidential version of the information filed by the interested parties is required to be a replica of the confidential version with the confidential information preferably indexed or blanked out (where indexation is not possible) and such information must be appropriately and adequately summarized depending upon the information on which confidentiality is claimed. The non-confidential summary must be in sufficient detail to permit a reasonable understanding of the substance of the information furnished on a confidential basis. However, in exceptional circumstances, the party submitting the confidential information may indicate that such information is not susceptible to summary, and a statement of reasons containing a sufficient and adequate explanation as to why such summarization is not possible, must be provided to the satisfaction of the Authority. 31. The interested parties can offer their comments on the issues of confidentiality claimed by the domestic industry within 7 days from the date of circulation of the non-confidential version of the documents. 32. The Authority may accept or reject the request for confidentiality on examination of the nature of the information submitted. If the Authority is satisfied that the request for confidentiality is warranted or if the supplier of the information is either unwilling to make the information public or to authorize its disclosure in generalized or summary form, it may disregard such information. 33. Any submission made without a meaningful non-confidential version thereof or a good cause statement on the confidentiality claim shall not be taken on record by the Authority. M. INSPECTION OF PUBLIC FILE 34. A list of registered interested parties will be uploaded on the DGTR's website along with the request therein to all of them to email the non-confidential version of their submissions/response/information to all other interested parties. Failure to circulate non -confidential version of submission / response/information might lead to action under Section M of this Initiation Notification N. NON-COOPERATION 35. In case any interested party refuses access to and otherwise does not provide necessary information within a reasonable period or within the time stipulated by the Authority in this initiation notification or subsequently time period provided through separate communication, or significantly impedes the investigation, the Authority may declare such interested party as non-cooperative and record its findings based on the facts available and make such recommendations to the Central Government as it deems fit. SIDDHARTH MAHAJAN, Designated Authority Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054. GORAKHA NATH YADAVA

Never miss important gazettes

Create a free account to save gazettes, add notes, and get email alerts for keywords you care about.

Sign Up Free