ISLAMABAD, Dec 10: The Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers’ Association (PVMA) has sought commerce ministry’s intervention to stop the National Tariff Commission (NTC) from initiating an anti-dumping investigation into tinplate imported to Pakistan from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and the United States.

The PVMA in a letter sent to the Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan, a copy of which was released to the media here on Saturday, asked for stopping of the proposed initiation of anti-dumping investigation into the alleged dumping of tinplate into Pakistan, particularly from European countries and the US.

The NTC has already levied an anti-dumping duty on import of tinplate from South Africa following a thorough investigation of the alleged exporters.

The NTC has initiated the anti-dumping investigation on the complaint of Siddique Tinplate Limited — a local manufacturer of tinplate — that has alleged exporters from these countries are dumping tinplate into Pakistan, causing material injury to the domestic industry. The company has sought an anti-dumping levy on these imports.

The PVMA was of the opinion that due to this sole monopoly of the local manufacturer of tinplate, prices of the commodity, which was used as packing material in the oil and ghee industry, rose many folds.

The association has also sought the removal of anti-dumping duty levied on tinplate imported from South Africa, saying these moves were against the national interest and could harm Pakistan’s trade interest.