ISLAMABAD, June 7: The National Tariff Commission (NTC) on Thursday imposed final anti-dumping duties on import of polyester staple fibre (PSF) into Pakistan originating in or exported from Indonesia, Korea, and Thailand.

The commission has found that the dumping of imports from the exporting countries exists, which caused injury to the domestic industry.

To offset injurious dumping, the NTC has levied definitive anti-dumping duties in cases of such exporters ranging from zero per cent to 10.26 per cent of the C&F value for a period of five years to be effective, retrospectively from February 9.

The export of PSF from other countries would not be subject to these definitive anti-dumping duties.

The NTC had initiated the investigation on August 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 the 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 February 9.

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

Pakistan’s domestic industry identified 12 exporters/producers from exporting countries involved in dumping of PSF under the application.

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. Five exporters responded to the NTC questionnaire.

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.

After preliminary determination, the NTC held a hearing where the interested partied presented their views. Interested parties submitted post-hearing briefs of their views on particular issues to the NTC, which have been considered by the NTC in final determination.