New Delhi, Dec. 15 -- Listed plastic pipe makers are in a difficult spot. The much-awaited announcements on anti-dumping duty (ADD) and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) rules aimed at curbing low-quality polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin imports did not materialize this year. The absence of these trade protection measures has opened the door to cheaper imports, particularly from China, eroding the market share of domestic players.

Sustained dumping is also feared to push PVC prices further down, increasing the risk of inventory losses for companies. PVC price movement is critical for plastic pipe makers, as dealer destocking and restocking cycles hinge on this. At the same time, the industry is grappling with demand weakness, high competiti...