New Delhi, June 17: China has imposed an anti-dumping duty on the import of the antibiotic, sulfamethoxazole, from India.

The move follows the final ruling by the Chinese commerce ministry, which said sulfamethoxazole imports from India have inflicted losses on local manufacturers.

The anti-dumping duty was raised to 37.7 per cent from 10.7 per cent.

The tax will be in effect for five years.

Sources said the Indian commerce ministry was planning to take up the case with its Chinese counterpart as it felt the duty was not justified.

The Indian side believes that China has not been able to prove that Indian manufacturers are selling the drug at prices below the cost of production.

A senior drug company executive said, “The cost of production of drugs is very low in China. It seems a little strange that anybody from India will want to undercut the drug in China.”

Sulfamethoxazole is a sulfonamide bacteriostatic antibiotic. It is also used to produce other sulfonamides.

The antibiotic is used to treat urinary tract infections. China started its anti-dumping investigation on sulfamethoxazole last June and imposed temporary measures in February this year.