New Delhi: The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has not recommend further extension of bilateral safeguard duty on imports of a particular variety of palm oil from Malaysia, a notification said.
The DGTR in August last year initiated a probe into an alleged jump in imports of ‘Refined Bleached Deodorised Palmolein and Refined Bleached Deodorised Palm Oil’ from Malaysia, following a complaint from Solvent Extractors’ Association of India.
The notification said the “director general does not recommend further extension of bilateral safeguard duty”.
On September 4, 2019, the revenue department had imposed 5 per cent safeguard duty on imports of refined palm oil from Malaysia, taking the customs levy to 50 per cent for six months, a move aimed at protecting interest of domestic players.
It was imposed after the DGTR in a preliminary findings suggested for imposition of the duty for 180 days.
According to the final findings, the directorate has concluded that “it may not be necessary to impose safeguard duty beyond the current period of 180 days”.
“It is considered that the bilateral safeguard duty imposed” on September 4, 2019 under the CECA (Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement) on the imports for a period of 180 days “is sufficient in the present circumstances,” it has added.