The US International Trade Commission has slapped preliminary tariffs on off-the-road pneumatic tires imported from India and Sri Lanka, ITC said in a document issued earlier this week.
Tires from the two countries "are benefiting from subsidies" and thus, should be subject to countervailing duties, ITC said in the document released on Tuesday.
ITC said that the Department of Commerce has calculated a countervailing duty, or CVD, of 4.7% and 7.64% respectively on imports from India's Balkrishna Industries and ATC Tires, which belongs to the Alliance Tire Group.
All other producers and exporters of OTR tires in India have been assigned a preliminary duty of 6.17%, ITC said.
For Sri Lanka, a duty "of 2.9% has been assigned to all exporters and producers, including Camso Loadstar," it said.
About $167.3 million and $76.8 million worth of tires were imported from India and Sri Lanka, respectively, in 2014, ITC said.
With the CVD in place, the DOC will continue its investigation into tire imports from India and Sri Lanka, and announce its final decision on October 28.
ITC is scheduled to issue its final ruling 45 days after the DOC makes its final determination on December 12.
Tiremakers are major consumers of natural and synthetic rubber.
