KARACHI, April 19: The import of Chinese tiles has plunged by 50 per cent following the imposition of definitive anti-dumping duty of 24 per cent for five years by the National Tariff Commission (NTC) to provide protection to local industry.

Meanwhile, soon after the imposition of dumping, the local tile manufacturers have increased the rates by Rs20-30 per square metre to cash in the situation amid burgeoning demand of tiles following launching of mega housing projects across the country.

The Chinese tile stocks in many markets are depleting as the importers have already stopped placing orders over reports that the NTC was set to impose dumping duty on its import.

Currently, few people are importing Chinese tiles by paying the dumping duty besides 25pc customs duty, 15pc sales tax, 6pc income tax and one per cent landing charges as they have to meet some commitments made with local distributors.

The country’s monthly tiles consumption stands at 4.3 million square metres out which the Chinese tile share was about two million square metres valuing Rs360-400 million followed by 300,000 square metres from Indonesia, UAE, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Spain and Italy. Nine local players manufacture around two million square metres a month.

“We are looking forward to bring in Iranian tiles and increase the volume of imports also from other countries,” Senior Vice-Chairman Pakistan Tiles and Sanitary Merchants Association (PTSMA) Mohammad Essa Ismail told Dawn on Thursday.

He said the NTC had imposed the dumping duty on March 30 after hearing a complaint from a single local producer whose market share was insignificant.

Mr Essa was not happy the way the NTC had favoured just one producer. The commission had not made any counter-check of the price on which the local industry had provided false details.

“China sells tiles all over the world and the importing countries do not provide extra ordinary protection to their local industries. In Pakistan, the local industry is already getting tariff protection and there is no need to impose dumping duty on Chinese tiles,” he explained.

He urged the government to look into the matter and check the one-sided decision of the NTC.He said the locally-produced tiles were costlier by five to 10pc owing to better quality compared to the Chinese tiles, which made huge entry in the local market six years back, but had edge in designs.

The Chinese tiles had not given any tough time to the local players because of the phenomenal jump in demand during the last few years owing to boom in construction activities and renovation of houses, he observed.

Mr Essa said cheap Chinese tiles had made it affordable for common people to decorate their bathrooms, kitchens and also flooring with tiles. Few years back tiles sales were restricted to upper class living in posh areas. “Though the extensive use of tiles has phenomenally reduced the demand for marbles,” he added.