ISLAMABAD, March 27: The National Tariff Commission (NTC) on Monday initiated an anti-dumping investigation into alleged dumping of ceramic tiles in Pakistan by exporters from China.

The enquiry was launched in response to an application filed by Master Tiles and Ceramics Limited, Ghujranwala.

An official announcement issued here asked the interested parties to apply for registration within 10 days after the publication of the notice.

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

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

Under the ordinance, the NTC could not 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, then a provisional anti-dumping duty (equal to the amount of dumping margin) may be applied for a period of 4 months.

According to the notice, ceramic tiles, classified under Pakistan Customs Tariff Codes 6907.1000, 6907.9000, 6908.1000 and 6908.9000, are alleged to be exported to Pakistan at dumped prices (less than the normal value of the product, i.e., the prices at which ceramic tiles are sold in China in the ordinary course of trade) by different exporters and producers from China and that such alleged dumping has allegedly affected the domestic industry.

This was the 11th investigation initiated by the NTC under the ordinance.