ISLAMABAD, Feb 9: The National Tariff Commission (NTC) on Friday imposed provisional anti-dumping duties on import of polyester staple fibre (PSF) not exceeding two denier into Pakistan originating in or exported from Indonesia, Korea, and Thailand.

The NTC initiated the investigation on Aug 9, 2006, on dumping of PSF in response to an application filed by Dewan Salman Fibres Limited, Islamabad; Ibrahim Fibres Limited, Lahore; and ICI Pakistan Limited, Lahore on behalf of domestic industry manufacturing PSF under the Pakistan Anti-Dumping Duties Ordinance, 2000.

The NTC imposed provisional anti-dumping duties (equal to the amount of provisional dumping margin established) on dumped imports of PSF for a period of four months with effect from Feb 9.

The PSF is used in woven and knit applications to produce textile and apparel products.

Under the ordinance, the NTC would make the final determination not later than six months from the date of publication of notice of preliminary determination.

If the final determination is affirmative (domestic price of like product in the exporting country is higher than its export price and injury to the domestic industry is also found to exist and a causal link between dumping and injury is affirmed), then the ordinance stipulates that the NTC should impose final antidumping duty on the dumped imports equivalent to the dumping margin, for a period of up to five years.

The duties were imposed on specific exporters from these countries "3.36 per cent on P.T Polysindo Eka Perkasa and all other exporters of Indonesia. However, exporter of PSF P.T Indorama Synthetics Tbk, Indonesia, has been exempted from the levy as its dumping margin was found to be de-minmus (less than two per cent of export price).

The rate of provisional duty on export of PSF by Huvis Corporation, Korea and all other exporters will be 2.09 per cent. While the rate of duty on Thai Polyester Co. Ltd export of PSF to Pakistan would be 4.35 per cent, 8.33 per cent on Kangwal Polyester Co. Ltd and all other exporters of the commodity from Thailand.

Pakistan’s domestic industry identified 12 exporters/producers from exporting countries involved in dumping of PSF. As required by the law, NTC after the initiation of investigation, sent questionnaires to all known exporters/producers and Pakistani importers of the investigated product, seeking information within the statutory time period of 37 days.

The officers of the NTC subsequently carried out on-the-spot investigations at the premises of the domestic industry at Islamabad, Lahore and Faisalabad, and at the premises of exporters/producers from exporting countries in order to verify the information provided.

This is the 24th investigation conducted under the Pakistan’s Antidumping Duties Ordinance, 2000, where the NTC has imposed provisional antidumping duty.

The previous cases involved exporters of various products from South Africa, Indonesia, France, Taiwan, South Korea, Iran, Uzbekistan, Thailand, India, Germany, Finland and China.