US anti-dumping duties imposed on Indian matchbooks
The U.S. Department of Commerce has issued final anti-dumping determinations on commodity matchbooks imported from India, effective June 15, 2026. This action follows an investigation into whether Indian manufacturers were selling matchbooks at less than fair value in the U.S. market. Affected importers must now pay anti-dumping duties on all Indian matchbook shipments going forward.
Photo: Anil Sharma / Pexels# US Anti-Dumping Duties Imposed on Indian Matchbooks
On June 15, 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued final anti-dumping determinations on commodity matchbooks from India, establishing duty rates on affected imports.
This determination concludes a formal anti-dumping investigation into whether Indian manufacturers were selling matchbooks at less than fair value in the U.S. market. Commodity matchbooks—simple friction-match products in standard retail packaging—are classified under HS Chapter 36 (Explosives, pyrotechnics, matches, and related articles).
The Department of Commerce has determined that commodity matchbooks from India are being sold at less than fair value and has issued final anti-dumping duties.
Who is affected: U.S. importers of matchbooks sourced from India will now be subject to anti-dumping duties on all entries. Customs brokers and freight forwarders handling these shipments must ensure that entries declare the country of origin as India and apply the applicable duty rates at entry.
Relevant HS Classification: Commodity matchbooks fall under HS Chapter 36, Subchapter IV (Matches), typically classified as 3605.00.00 or similar entries depending on packaging and presentation.
What this means for shippers
Any importer purchasing matchbooks from India must now budget for anti-dumping duties on top of the standard Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariff rate. Update your landed-cost calculations immediately to reflect the new duty liability—failure to account for these duties will underestimate your true import cost and margin. If you currently source matchbooks from India, evaluate alternative suppliers in non-subject countries or request a ruling on country of origin if products are assembled or substantially transformed outside India. Check the Federal Register for the specific duty rates applicable to each Indian exporter and update your customs classification and valuation procedures accordingly. /landed-cost
