"The United States has set up from before preliminary anti-dumping duties ranging from 90 to nearly 175% on about $30 million worth of electric blankets from China," the U.S. Commerce Department said on Wednesday.

It has caused a victory for Jarden Consumer Solutions,which is a Florida-based subsidiary of consumer products company Jarden Corp (JAH.N). It filed a petition previously this year by raising question for protection against its Chinese competitors.

The combinedly small case is of one several ongoing U.S. investigations into charges that Chinese companies are selling their goods in the United States at unfairly low prices and benefit from unfair government subsidies.

The products covered by the probe include finished, semi-finished, and unassembled woven electric blankets of all sizes and fabric types, whether made of man-made fiber, natural fiber or a blend of both.

Previously, anti-dumping duty of 90.32% on blankets supplied by Hung Kuo Electronics (Shenzhen) Company Ltd, Ningbo V.K. Industry & Trading Co Ltd, Ningbo Jifa Electrical Appliances Co Ltd and Ningbo Jinchun Electric Appliances Co Ltd.

All other Chinese producers and exporters will face a China-wide rate of 174.85%.

The United States imported $29.7 million of the blankets from China in 2008, a 16.8% increase from 2006.

Commerce will make its final decision on duty levels in June, setting the stage for the U.S. International Trade Commission to cast a final vote in July or early August on whether to allow the duties.

Source: Reuters