The Indian export houses has been placed under investigation along with several others from China, Indonesia and Chile, according to a report released by the US department of commerce last week.

The total worth of Indian exports is around $8 million. The department of commerce has estimated dumping margins ranging from 2.75 per cent to 243.87 per cent by Indian companies, the highest by any country placed under investigation.

The estimated dumping margins by companies of the other countries under investigation range from 168.72 per cent to 198.63 per cent for Chinese companies, and 11.24 per cent to 29.58 per cent for companies from Indonesia. The margins for the Chile-based companies has been estimated at 142.43 per cent.

Imposition of anti-dumping duties requires affirmative final determinations from the department of commerce aswell as from the US International Trade Commission that dumping took place and injured the US industry.

The Commerce department is expected to report its final determination on December 14, while for Chile the report is expected to be tabled by October 13.

In the meantime, the US Customs Service will collect a cash deposit or bond on the imports equal to the preliminary dumping margin. However, in case of a negetive determination the amount would be refunded.

Included in the investigations are mushrooms packed in cans or glass jars in water, brine and butter, while fresh, chilled, dried, frozen and marinated mushrooms have not been placed under investigation.

According to the department of commerce report, US imports of mushrooms subject to investigation amounted to $43.8 million from China, $30.1 million from Indonesia, $8 million from India and $5.1 million from Chile.

Dumping is the export of a good at less than the price in the home country, or a third country, or less than cost of the exporter.A dumping margin is the difference between the dumped price and the fair-value market price.