Washington: US imports of certain steel products from India and four other countries were dumped in the US market, the Commerce Department has found.

In its July 11 final determination, the department said the dumping margins for imports of cold-rolled carbon steel flat products from India, Japan, Thailand, Australia and Sweden ranged from 24.06 to 153.65 per cent.

Imposition of anti-dumping duties requires final determination both from the Department of Commerce that dumping occurred and from the US International Trade Commission that the imports injured or threatened US industry.

The final determination is expected by August 26.

The Japanese government said the Commerce ruling was not warranted as cold-rolled steel products were priced higher for export than for sale in Japan.

The products from Japan constitute the largest part by value, 37 per cent, of the combined imports from all countries covered by the current investigation.

Imports of cold-rolled steel from Australia, Japan and Sweden are already subject to the higher tariffs announced in March by US President George W Bush under Section 201 of country's Trade Law.

Imports of these products from India and Thailand are not affected by the measure under a rule exempting some or all steel imports from developing countries.

Any anti-dumping or countervailing duties that might be imposed would be added on top of the existing 30 per cent temporary duties.

The US commerce department also made a final determination that "critical circumstances" exist for products imported from Australia and India.

Affirmative final determinations from USITC on "critical circumstances" would allow imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing duties retroactively on imports of cold-rolled steel back to February 8.

Critical circumstances provisions aim to avert a surge of imports triggered by the anti-dumping investigation.