ISLAMABAD, July 29: The government on Tuesday launched an anti-dumping duty investigation against alleged dumping of polyester staple fibre (PSF) into Pakistan, originating in or exported from China.

This would be the second case in a series against Chinese exporters of selling goods allegedly below their cost causing loss to the interests of the domestic manufacturers. A final anti-dumping duty has already been slapped on Chinese tiles from March 30, 2007.

The National Tariff Commission (NTC) had earlier conducted an antidumping investigation of dumped imports of PSF from Indonesia, Korea and Thailand, and antidumping duties were imposed on dumped imports of PSF from theses countries, ranging from zero to 10.26 per cent.

The investigation in case of China has been initiated in response to an application filed with the NTC by domestic producers of PSF -- Dewan Salman Fibre Limited, Ibrahim Fibre Limited and ICI Pakistan. The commission has asked the interested parties to apply for registration within 10 days after the publication of the notice.

As per the procedures laid down in the Ordinance and Anti-Dumping Duties Rules, 2001, the commission, for the purposes of gathering information, will send questionnaires to exporters, foreign producers and importers of the investigated product, asking them to provide information within 37 days.

According to the notice, PSF is allegedly being exported to Pakistan at dumped prices by different exporters and producers from China and that such alleged dumping had allegedly caused and is causing injury to the domestic industry.

An official announcement of the NTC said after due process, once the requisite information on questionnaires has been received from interested parties and examined by the commission, the NTC is expected to make a preliminary determination.

Under the Ordinance, the NTC cannot make a preliminary determination sooner than 60 days from the date of initiation of investigation.

If an affirmative preliminary determination of dumping and injury is made, a provisional antidumping dumping duty (equal to the amount of dumping margin) may be applied for a period of four months.

The NTC has taken 24 antidumping actions under the ordinance so far and has imposed antidumping duties in 19 cases.