Glufosinate and Its Salt from China Now Subject to Provisional Assessment Under Anti-Absorption Review

Background and Context

The Central Government of India has taken a significant step in safeguarding domestic trade interests by directing provisional assessment of imports of Glufosinate and its salt originating in or exported from the People's Republic of China. This directive has been issued through Notification No. 14/2026-Customs (ADD) dated 3rd July, 2026, and stems from ongoing concerns about the absorption of previously imposed anti-dumping duties.

This development is part of a broader regulatory mechanism under Indian customs law aimed at ensuring that anti-dumping duties serve their intended purpose — preventing unfair trade practices that harm domestic industries.

What Led to This Notification?

Initial Anti-Dumping Duty Imposition

The chain of events leading to the current provisional assessment order begins with findings made by the Designated Authority (the Directorate General of Trade Remedies — DGTR). Through its final findings notification bearing F. No. 7/02/2026-DGTR dated 10th February, 2025, the Designated Authority had formally recommended the imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports of Glufosinate and its salt from China.

Acting on this recommendation, the Central Government proceeded to impose anti-dumping duty on the subject goods through:

Notification No. 09/2025-Customs (ADD) dated 8th May, 2025, published vide G.S.R. 300(E) in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), dated 8th May, 2025.

This anti-dumping duty was intended to neutralize the price advantage enjoyed by Chinese exporters who were allegedly dumping the product in the Indian market below fair market value.

Emergence of Absorption Concerns

Following the imposition of duty, concerns emerged that exporters or importers were absorbing the anti-dumping duty — a practice where the duty is factored into pricing arrangements in a manner that effectively nullifies its intended trade-corrective impact. In simpler terms, rather than the duty acting as a deterrent or price correction mechanism, it was allegedly being absorbed into the supply chain without the desired effect on import pricing.

On the basis of prima facie evidence of such absorption, the Designated Authority initiated a formal anti-absorption review investigation through its initiation notification F. No. 7/02/2026-DGTR dated 2nd March, 2026, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part I, Section 1, on the same date.

The anti-absorption review has been initiated and is being conducted under the following statutory provisions:

  • Section 9A of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 (51 of 1975) — the primary enabling provision for anti-dumping duty and related reviews in India
  • Rule 30 of the Customs Tariff (Identification, Assessment and Collection of Anti-Dumping Duty on Dumped Articles and for Determination of Injury) Rules, 1995 — commonly referred to as the Anti-Dumping Rules, 1995

What is an Anti-Absorption Review?

An anti-absorption review is a specialized type of review mechanism under anti-dumping law. It is invoked when there are reasons to believe that: